Artemisia Gentileschi at age 18 is humiliated in papal court for accusing her fathers friend and her painting teacher of rape.She ends up having to leave Rome because of this and her journey begins.Set in the Italian city states in the 1600s, her story of love, forgiveness and genius for painting is told. The plot is memorable and the characters mesmerizing.Definitely worth a read even for people who don't normally read historical fiction!

posted Oct 4, 2005

In this work of historical fiction, susan Vreeland paints a vibrant portrait (pun intended) of the life of Artemisia Gentileschi, an actual 17th-century woman painter in Italy. Raped by her father's friend Agostino Tassi, who is also her painting tutor, Artemisia is humiliated and her reputation in ruins when Tassi is all but exonerated in the crime. To escape Rome and its cruelty, she arranges to marry Pietro Stiattesi, a Florentine painter. In Florence, Artemisia realizes success in her art, painting biblical figures from a uniquely feminine perspective, and becomes the first woman accepted into Florence's Accademia dell'Arte. However, from her jealous husband Pietro, who has not found equal success in his art, she earns only resentment. This was a relatively quick read which inspired me to learn more about Artemisia and her contemporaries, and I look forward to trying more of Vreeland's historical works.

posted Feb 26, 2007 at 5:47PM

Susan Vreeland’s stunning novels delve into the themes of art, history and the lives of women. Author read-alikes include Tracy Chevalier, Sarah Dunant, and Harriet Scott Chessman.

posted Nov 9, 2008 at 9:20AM

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