Artemisia Gentileschi : inspiration and influence in early modern Italy

Abstract

This thesis analyses the life and work of the early modern Italian painter Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-ca. 1654) to understand her sources of inspiration and influence. Artemisia rose to prominence during the 20th century when feminist art historians began to research women artists. Artemisia’s body of artwork, however, is often overshadowed by the work of her father Orazio or her ordeal of rape and the trial of her attacker in Rome. This thesis will look at the context of Artemisia’s life in Rome and Florence to draw connections between what she experienced and what she created. By comparing the art and ideologies Artemisia encountered against her own paintings, this thesis develops a deeper understanding of her unique female perspective and choice of subjects in a male-dominated era of artistic production. Through the examination of her work, the thesis aims to understand Artemisia’s talent and resilience.