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The Great Women Artists

Letizia Treves on Artemisia Gentileschi

The Great Women Artists

Katy Hessel

Arts

4.8 • 944 Ratings

🗓️ 11 November 2020

⏱️ 52 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In episode 48 of The Great Women Artists Podcast, Katy Hessel interviews the highly esteemed National Gallery curator, Letizia Treves, on the REVOLUTIONARY Baroque artist, Artemisia Gentileschi !!!! [This episode is brought to you by Alighieri jewellery: www.alighieri.co.uk | use the code TGWA at checkout for 10% off!] And WOW, it was on the eve of lockdown that Letizia (the show's curator) took me for a tour of "Artemisia" at the National Gallery, where we recorded this very special episode – so please come and join us!  An ICON of art history. A trailblazer. A revolutionary. And a great. Born on the cusp of the Baroque era in 1593, Artemisia Gentileschi is one of history's most famous artists, known for her STRIKING large-scale and monumental canvases of Biblical heroines, from Susanna, Judith to the Mary Magdalene.  The ultimate 17th century Baroque artist – whose exhibition marks the first EVER by a female artist on this scale at the National Gallery – never before has a show given such an incredibly well-rounded and triumphant stance to an artist. Not only do we hear from the artist herself through her many letters (to both her lovers and "illustrious patrons"), but we also hear from her through a 400 year-old transcript covering her rape trial. A document that asserts the young 17 year-old, who despite overcoming enormous amounts of personal and professional setbacks, asserts herself as a strong, courageous, dignified woman.  This exhibition of thirty DAZZLING works starts with Susanna and the Elders, made when Artemisia was still working in her father, Orazio's studio. We then move into Florence, where she moved in 1612 and became the star of the city – gaining patronage from the likes of the Medici Court. Portraying Judith Beheading Holofernes as if she were butchering a piece of meat, Artemisia was never afraid to show THEATRICALITY in her Baroque works, infused with psychological drama.  One of the greatest exhibitions I have ever witnessed, please join us as we tour this monumental show!! Artworks discussed:  Susanna and the Elders, 1610 Judith Beheading Holofernes, 1612–13 + 1620–21 Judith and Her Maidservant, 1612–13 Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria, 1616 Self Portrait as a Lute Player, 1616–18 Portrait of Artemisia Gentileschi by Simon Vouet Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy, 1623 Judith and Her Maidservant, 1623 Susanna and the Elders, 1652 Self Portrait as the Allegory of Painting, 1638 FURTHER LINKS! https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/artemisia Artemisia's rape trial:  https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/artemisia/artemisias-rape-trial Judith Beheading Holofernes:  https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/artemisia/judith-beheading-holofernes https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/artemisia-gentileschi https://www.waterstones.com/book/artemisia/letizia-treves/sheila-barker/9781857096569 https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/artists/artemisia-gentileschi Follow us: Katy Hessel: @thegreatwomenartists / @katy.hessel Sound editing by Laura Hendry  Artwork by @thisisaliceskinner Music by Ben Wetherfield https://www.thegreatwomenartists.com/

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hello and welcome to the Great Woman Artists podcast. I hope you are all doing well.

0:07.0

I am really delighted that this episode is sponsored by one of my favourite jewellery

0:12.0

Alighieri. During this difficult time, Alighieri will be donating 10% of all online sales to refuge, the country's largest provider of support to women

0:24.0

and children escaping domestic violence. Allegieri is also offering 10% off for great women

0:30.8

artist listeners with the code TGWA at checkout. See www. alegieri.

0:38.3

.

0:39.3

For more.

0:40.3

Here are a few words from their founder,

0:42.3

Rosh Matani, and I hope you enjoy this episode.

0:46.3

I'm so excited to announce that our latest collection,

0:49.3

The Roots, shot over the summer on a myriad of incredible women,

0:52.3

including Katie Hessel, is now available to purchase on allegory.co.ukh.

0:58.0

I wanted to tell you a little story about the ancient forest that Dante dreams of in purgatory.

1:04.0

It's described as an idyllic dream in Dante's narrative,

1:07.0

with small birds in the highest branches,

1:10.0

with songs of joy among the leaves which

1:12.3

rustled the accompaniment to their rhymes.

1:15.2

This sweet breeze, the Laura Dolce, gives its name to the Laura Choker from the roots

1:19.7

collection.

1:21.2

The pendant is the seed and the bubbling chain represents the ancient forest that grows from

1:25.4

it.

1:26.4

Wear it to ground and anchor you in the midst of these somewhat crazy times.

...

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