Approximately four centuries ago, Artemisia Gentileschi graced the art world with a masterpiece painting of timeless relevance: Lucretia. The work shows an attractive Lucretia emerging from the shadows with her breasts bare and eyes cast upward, just moments before fatally stabbing her chest with a dagger. In Lucretia, Gentileschi demonstrates fascinating artistic prowess by using a distinct technique to explore the abuse, prejudice, and injustice that remain invisible compared to the looks of a beautiful woman.
The subject matter on which Gentileschi’s Lucretia focuses can be revealed through historical hindsight on both the life of the figure in the picture and the artist. According to the Getty Museum, Lucretia was a Roman heroine who committed suicide after the King’s son, Sextus Tarquinius, raped her. Lucretia took her own life while declaring her innocence and chastity, hence the heroism attributed to her otherwise extreme decision to end her life. Incidentally, Gentileschi too had experienced sexual violence as a teenager (Getty Museum para. 1). The bravery with which the two women—Lucretia and Gentileschi—choose to deal with the aftermath of their sexual violations underpins the consensus that Lucretia depicts women’s capacity to control their own destiny.
The technique Gentileschi uses to create Lucretia elevates it as an emblem of baroque art. Lucretia employs swirling and exuberant drapery, as well as free brushstrokes, reminiscent of the artistic legacy of Venetian painting dating back to the 16th century (Getty Museum para. 4). Experts have observed that Gentileschi used “lyrical and sophisticated expressivity,” tinged with “a creamy impasto and vibrant brushwork” (Getty Museum para. 6). The careful selection and judicious use of artistic techniques help the painting effectively communicate its central theme.
Gentileschi’s Lucretia uses specific baroque art techniques to show the turbulent mix of abuse, prejudice, and injustice that often attracts little attention in a model’s life. Beauty has been used to justify the objectification of women with no guarantee of justice. Gentileschi and Lucretia were abused, but the people around them were enamored of the victims’ beauty, thus failed to serve them justice.
Work Cited
Getty Museum. “Getty Museum Acquires Recently Rediscovered Painting by Artemisia Gentileschi.” Getty: Resources for Visual Art and Cultural Heritage, Web.