The Controversy Between 'Artemisia And Susanna'

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In the article “Artemisia and Susanna”, Mary D. Garrard brings up the great controversy in art history of the identity of the author of the painting Susanna and the Elders. Even though the painting bears the name “ARTEMISIA/GENTILESCHI F.”, there are scholars questioning that the painting is actually a work by Artemisia’s father, Orazio Gentileschi. Garrard lists in her writing several points that seem arguable in the authorship of the painting: the validation of the inscription of the name and date on the painting, the artistic ability of Artemisia at such a young age if the date on the painting is correct, and the style of the painting that is similar to Orazio’s. To oppose these claims, Garrard clarifies Artemisia’s birthdate in response …show more content…
In the traditional works on the theme of Susanna and the Elders, alluring female nudity and erotic appeal are emphasized. Illustrated in many famous artists’ paintings, such as Rubens, Tintoretto, and Adriaan van der Berg, the seductive body pose and erotically appealing garden setting essentially suggests glorification of “rape”, which has been a common topic in art, mainly out of the male artists’ instinct. Unclear resistance of the gesture of Susanna in those post-Renaissance works deviates from the rectitude of the subject in the original Bible story. Besides, a comparison of Susanna to Eve in both literature and art indicates that Susanna is sexually attracted to the danger, which is in fact purposedly eliminated by the Bible. Moreover, usage of Medici Venus and Venus Anadyomene as models in some artists’ paintings only implies sexual appeal of Susanna instead of any …show more content…
The fact that Artemisia was sexually harassed and raped by Agostino Tassi, Orazio’s colleague, and Cosimo Quorli as an accomplice, sheds light on the particular sympathy conveyed by the painter of the Susanna and the Elders. After being menaced and raped, Artemisia’s fathter Orazio tried to sue the offender, but it turns out that Artemisia suffered from a test of torture, gained a reputation of promiscuousness, and was rushed into a marriage, while Tassi was acquitted. Such abject past of Artemisia echoes the situation depicted in the Susanna and the Elders, and thus convincingly accounts for the significant accuracy of the expressions showed by Susanna in her plight. In the end, Garrard gives two possible explanations for the date inscribed on the painting being earlier than Artemisia’s rape – purposed falsification to lessen embarrasement or continuous harrasement before the rape, and lists Artemisia’s other works on female figures related to her unfortunate

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