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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN num: 9780142001820
ISBN number: 0142001821
Label: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 352
Printing Date: December 31, 2002
Publishing house: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Release Date: December 31, 2002
Sale Popularity Level: 102387
Studio: Penguin (Non-Classics)
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
Recently rediscovered by art historians, and one of the few female post-Renaissance painters to achieve fame during her own era, Artemisia Gentileschi led a remarkably 'modern' life. Susan Vreeland tells Artemisia's captivating story, beginning with her public humiliation in a rape trial at the age of eighteen, and continuing through her father's betrayal, her marriage of convenience, motherhood, and growing fame as an artist. Set against the glorious backdrops of Rome, Florence, Genoa, and Naples, inhabited by historical characters such as Galileo and Cosimo de' Medici II, and filled with rich details about life as a seventeenth-century painter, Vreeland creates an inspiring story about one woman's lifelong struggle to reconcile career and family, passion and genius.
Amazon.com:
Like her bestselling debut, Girl in Hyacinth Blue, Susan Vreeland's second novel, The Passion of Artemisia, traces a particular painting through time: in this case, the post-Renaissance painter Artemisia Gentileschi's violent masterpiece, 'Judith.' Although the novel purports to cover the life of the painter, the painting serves as a touchstone, foreshadowing Artemisia's rape by Agostino Tassi, an assistant in her father's painting studio in Rome; the well-documented (and humiliating) trial that followed; the early days of her hastily arranged marriage; and her eventual triumph as the very first woman elected to the Accademia dell' Arte in Florence. Although Vreeland makes a bit free with her characters (which she admits in her introduction), attributing some decidedly modern attitudes to people who would not have thought that way at the time, her book is beautifully researched and rich with casual detail of clothing, interiors, and street life. She deftly works history and politics into the background of her canvas, keeping her focus on Artemisia and her family. Beyond the paintings Artemisia left behind, Vreeland's vision may be as close as we can come to understanding the anger and ambition that kept this talented woman at the doors of the Accademia, demanding entrance, in a time when respectable women rarely left their homes. --Regina Marler
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Rated by buyers 
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This was my very first book by this author. I listened to the audio version which is nicely perfomed by a voice actor that is adept in pronouncing the Italian names. I enjoyed learning about the struggles of a talented female artist in the post - Renaissance period. The story moves along with great detail of the art and architecture of the time, as well as the food and clothing. I love all things Italian and parts of the book are almost like a travelogue. The author provides us with a lot of emotional investment in Artemisia, but the other people have much less character development.
Rated by buyers 
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"The Passion of Artemisia" is the fictional account of the life of the real-life post-Renaissance painter Artemisia Gentileschi. The story begins at the time of the well-publicized trial in which Artemisia accuses her Father's painting partner of raping her. This event is a pivotal moment in Artemisia's life, because as a result of this trial, she must flee Rome due to the disgrace that the trial brings. Her Father arranges a marriage for her with a mediocre painter named Pietro Stiattesi of Florence. Things go well at very first for the marriage, and the pair have a daughter together. Eventually, though, Artemisia's talent overshadows that of her husband, and puts a strain on the relationship. Her painting skill and her adaptability as an artist lead her to work for many patrons in many cities all over Italy, and the novel follows her journey to these many destinations, and describes the way in which she came to create many of her paintings.
I found this story very inspiring, as Artemisia had to overcome so many difficulties in her life. She was really quite ahead of her time, as she had to deal with the issue of juggling marriage, motherhood and career. She also had a very complex relationship with her Father, whom she loved very much, but also harbored a lifelong disappointment with due to the fact that he never really stood up for her during the rape trial. She was the very first woman to be accepted in to the presitigous Accedemia dell'Arte, which was quite an achievement in her time. She had to make some difficult choices in her life, and eventually came to a level of acceptance that she could not have it all. Certain things had to be sacrificed because her art always came first.
Susan Vreeland has quickly become one of my favorite contemporary authors. She is really able to put herself in the place of the artist she is writing about, and really brings her/him to life. I found it helpful to reference the author's website while reading this novel, as she has an image gallery of the paintings that are written about.
This book was absolutely beautiful, and I found myself reading it very slowly at the end, as I did not want to leave the world of Artemisia. Very enjoyable and highly recommended!!
Rated by buyers 
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This book is very interesting. I am disappointed that it can't be more non-fictional because Artemisia was an amazing painter for her time. Books that have half truth and half fiction are hard to deal with because one has to wonder wether it is real or not.
Rated by buyers -
"This book traces a particular painting through time: in this case, the post-Renaissance painter Artemisia Gentileschi's violent masterpiece, "Judith." It takes you on a wonderful artistic journey,I enjoyed it thoroughly...and learned about how different life was for women at that time. It is based on her true life story and she was the only woman at that time who became accepted as an artist!"
Rated by buyers 
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The book is a good portrait of an era from a woman's point of view, and we don't have too many feminine views from the Baroque era. Since the author strives for historiacal accuracy, I wouls have appreciated the added eimension of more scholarly, historical background. The Plague is brely mentioned. Ditto the Inquisition -- while she does included Galileo, who was a victim of it. More facts about the era would have made this a better book.
In terms of reading about the era, I would recommend reading "Galileo's Daughter."
Finally, like many preople, I am not famiiar with this painter, and I believe it would have added A lot to have reproductions of her paintings included in the book.
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