Agostino Tassi

Barbara Strozzi Barbara Valle, formally known as Barbara Strozzi, was a famous singer and composer born in Venice, Italy. As an author, eight volumes of her vocal accomplishments were published between the ages of 20-45. All of her published works are secular, with the exception of one. The contents consist of madrigals, arias, and Cantatas, which place her directly with the Cantata tradition. Although she was not popularly known in the baroque era as she is now, she is one of the most famous female vocalists in that era. 1. Early Life and Family Barbara was birthed by Isabella Garzoni on August 6th, 1619. Her mother was formally known as “la Greghetta” a long time servant of renowned poet, Giulio Strozzi. Barbara was renounced as heir to her mother’s duties in her will, who was heir designate to Strozzi’s Venetian Effects. Taken in by Giulio Strozzi as his own due to her mother’s death, he helped flourish Barbara’s career. He was not only a member of the well known Florentine family, but also the founder and active member of a number of academies, as well as being a well known poet and dramatist. Giulio, born in Venice as well and at the age of thirty-seven he was a figure of importance in the cultural life of Venice. He composed many librettos for Operas that were performed on the Venetian stage between 1630 and 1640. He was known to collaborate with every active composer in the Venetian Opera, and was also involved in founding one of the world famous Opera houses in…

Artemisia was acquainted with painting in her dad's workshop, indicating substantially more ability than her siblings, who worked close by her. She picked up drawing, how to blend shading, and how to paint. Artemisia will not have possessed the capacity to defeat these difficulties notwithstanding her extensive ability had she not had one imperative preferred standpoint over numerous other young ladies: She originated from a group of Painters and her dad was eager to show her the fundamental…

Despite the countless prejudices against females engaging in what was believed to be a male’s area of expertise, Artemisia Gentileschi, gained a reputation, and established herself as a successful artist. Gentileschi’s artistic journey was not about revenge, but a fight for recognition of her unbelievable talent amidst her contemporary. Present-day she is recognized as one of the utmost accomplished and expressionistic artist of the era. However, Artemisia did not earn the respect as a female…

Judith Slaying Holofernes from 1625 is also a representation of a biblical story where Holofernes blindly falls for Judith and due to his infatuation with her, Judith and Abra, blindside him by taking his life. Gentileschi’s scene of Judith killing Holofernes expresses violence and passion most likely emerging from the anger she felt towards Agostino Tassi for raping her and then exploiting her in court. Unlike, Gentileschi’s painting, Susanna and the Elders, which was painted prior to her to…

daughter of Orazio Gentileschi. Her father was a well-known painter of this time, and it exposed Artemisia to the art world at an early age. She revealed an extraordinary gift, and her father recognized the skills she showed him. During this time, it was rare for fathers to encourage their daughters to pursue art, so for Artemisia’s father to encourage her was a huge steppingstone for her. She would receive formal training at her father’s workshop. This allowed her to learn how to paint, draw,…

seen in her prominence as a female patron artist, her works have been deemed in the past as ‘gory’, ‘buxom’, and ‘animalistic’, even with the dedication she proved to the Carravagist tradition(s). These assumptions may be based on the facts that in the early Seventeenth Century, Artemisia was raped in May 1611 in her family's apartment. During this time, Artemisia’s father Orazio was competing in the Roman art world to secure ties in the patronage circles, and he did so by the relationship he…

Once again using biblical stories to tell her own experiences, Gentileschi portrays herself as Judith beheading Holofernes, who is modelled after Tassi. The story goes that Judith, a Bethulian widow, was allowed to enter the tent of Holofernes, the general of the army assailing her town, because he lusted after her. When he became intoxicated, Judith killed Holofernes with the assistance of her maid, thus saving Bethulia. Gentileschi’s painting is brutally realistic. From the way the blood drips…

Charles I of England, commissioned her to create massive, expertly modeled compositions. This was unheard of during this period, as almost all prominent painters during this period were men. Gentileschi challenged these societal norms her whole life, as she rose to prominence as one of the best painters of the Renaissance. Artemisia Gentileschi was born on July 8, 1593, to Orazio Gentileschi, who was a well-known Italian painter during the Baroque period during the Renaissance. Being the…

Deborah Anderson Silvers is a graduate of the University of South Florida. She completed her Master’s thesis on a series of paintings by Gentileschi. Anderson Silvers begins her thesis by providing an extensive detailing of Gentileschi’s life at home, as well as providing insight into the social customs of 17th century Roman society. Like Garrard Silvers supports her arguments with Biblical text; however, unlike Garrard, she draws parallels between the character of Susanna and Artemisia herself,…

Gentileschi’s father recognized that his daughters painting skills had outgrown what he could have ever taught her. Once he noticed she had outgrown the basic techniques he reached out to a close friend by the name of Agostino Tassi. According to the Brooklyn Museum, Tassi had raped Artemisia in 1612 and was put through a long and hard trial. He refused to marry her which pushed her dad to have him exiled from Rome although, it never happened. She talked about how she struggled with him and her…