Synopses & Reviews
Hailed as one of the most influential and expressive painters of the seventeenth century, Artemisia Gentileschi (1593andndash;ca. 1656) has figured prominently in the art historical discourse of the past two decades. This attention to Artemisia, after many years of scholarly neglect, is partially due to interest in the dramatic details of her early life, including the widely publicized rape trial of her painting tutor, Agostino Tassi, and her admission to Florenceandrsquo;s esteemed Accademia del Disegno. While the artistandrsquo;s early paintings have been extensively discussed, her later work has been largely dismissed.
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This beautifully illustrated and elegantly written book provides a revolutionary look at Artemisiaandrsquo;s later career, refuting longstanding assumptions about the artist. The fact that she was semi-illiterate has erroneously led scholars to assume a lack of literary and cultural education on her part. Stressing the importance of orality in Baroque culture and in Artemisiaandrsquo;s paintings, Locker argues for her important place in the cultural dialogue of the seventeenth century.
Review
and#8220;Artemisia Gentileschiand#160;opens up new understandings of a prominent female artist and baroqueand#160;culture in Italy.and#8221; and#8212; Elizabeth Cohen, York Universityand#160;
Review
andquot;In the past 100 years, Artemisia Gentileschi has become one of the most recognizable painters from the 17th century, male or female. Her Caravaggio-inspired paintingsandmdash;full of blood, dramatic violence, and striking uses of shadow and lightandmdash;are massive draws in the museums that hold them. . . . Yet audiences and critics alike usually find themselves dumbfounded and let down by the paintings made in the last decades of her career, when she was at the height of her fame and influence. . . . Lockerandrsquo;s book provides a much-needed answer to the disparity in the feminist iconandrsquo;s workandmdash;to the question of what happened to Artemisiaandrsquo;s painting style, and why.andquot;andmdash;William Oand#39;Connor, The Daily Beast
Review
andldquo;In Artemisia Gentileschi, [the artist is revealed as a] thoughtful artist in dialogue with her contemporaries, less a product of her biography than a fully engaged mind. Itandrsquo;s a compelling argument for re-examining her later works.andrdquo;andmdash;Johns Hopkins Magazine
Review
andquot;In this beautifully illustrated study, . . . Locker sheds new light on [Gentileschi]. . . . His study significantly deepens understanding of this fascinating artist and is an important contribution to the field.andquot;andmdash;Choice
Synopsis
Beautifully illustrated, this elegant reassessment of the extraordinary life of Baroque artist Artemisia Gentileschi sheds new light on her later years, revealing her importance and influence within the cultural circles of 17th-century Venice, Florence, and Naples.
About the Author
Jesse Lockerand#160;is assistant professor of art history at Portland State University.
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