Artemisia1

Rape is a central theme of Western classical art. Images painted by the great masters: Titian, Rubens, Poussin, and others, depict rape as “heroic” and paint the victims as compliant, mad, or monstrous. In these acclaimed paintings, masculine strength and sexuality are applauded. The rapists and murderers are shown as heroes and gods; valiant and celebrated. Rape is conceived only from the male perspective, as an act of virility and courage, perpetuating the patriarchal idea that women are subjugated objects, to be used by men in the triumphant attainment of power. Giambologna's celebrated sculpture Rape of a Sabine Woman for instance, is renowned as a Mannerist masterpiece. The subject; the violent abduction of a woman, is entirely at odds with the softly twisting curves, graceful lines, and elegance; male conquest; female subjugation; rape manifest as beauty. “Nothing” writes James Gilligan, “stimulates crime and violence more than the division of males and females into the roles of violence object and sex object, respectively” (Gilligan, 2000, p. 188). The approbation of male virility and double standards are easily recognisable in modern rape culture, and although sexual violence is most commonly experienced by women, we most often see it from the male perspective.

Artemisia Gentileschi shows us a completely different perspective. Gentileschi (1593-1654 or later) had herself been a victim of rape, and had been tortured in court to prove the veracity of her story. While some feminist scholars see this formative experience of sexual violence as intrinsic to her identity as a woman artist and the very essence of difference in her work; others argue that there is more to this woman than being a rape victim and the experience should not define her or her art, Griselda Pollock suggesting that “… the feminine subject must be recognised as being implicated in a socio-symbolic formation that can never be grasped if we only construct either victims or heroines” (Pollock, 1