A Friday In August Book

"If a person loves something above all else, if he values the work of his heart and hands, then he should naturally, without hesitation, pour into it his whole soul, undivided and pure. Great art demands nothing less."

Artemisia Gentileschi, 17th century Italian Baroque painter, was passionate about her life's work. Author Susan Vreeland presents a compelling glimpse at one of the most fascinating and progressive artists of her time. Artemisia is raped by her father's colleague, scrutinized and tortured by the courts, treated as a wrongdoer rather than a victim, and scorned by the people of Rome. Yet despite the turmoil of her young life, she overcomes all this and goes on to paint what are considered some of the most brilliant paintings of all time. She becomes the first woman ever accepted into the prestigious Accademia di Arte del Disegno in Florence.

The story of Artemisia's life is one of betrayal, the meaning of forgiveness, and the relationships between fathers and daughters and mothers and daughters. It's about the role of women in a male-dominated society and profession, as well as the powerful influence of the Vatican in matters outside the boundaries of religion alone. There are some gorgeous descriptions of not just Artemisia's work, but of the art produced by other accomplished masters of Italy as well. Having no talent for art whatsoever, I still get caught up in the expressive language and descriptions of paintings and sculptures and did so once again. As Artemisia's name becomes known and her creativity sought after, she moves within Italy as patrons summon and commission her to paint for them. The cities of Florence, Genoa, Naples, Venice and Rome come alive for the reader, as they did for Artemisia. "Every shade of yellow ochre, sienna, orange, cinnamon, and dull green powders spilled out of large muslin bags onto the street. The colors of my new city. In every piazza a sculpture, in every niche the patron saint of some guild. Everywhere I looked, art! A new life was opening for me."

Yet, despite all this, Artemisia is followed throughout her life by the shadow of the monstrous crime committed against her, by the bitterness towards the perpetrator and towards her father whose actions surrounding the trial trouble her spirit. She struggles to make sense of a daughter who would choose love over painting.

An engaging and enjoyable piece of historical fiction, The Passion of Artemisia lacked a bit of a connection to its characters. I admired Artemisia, but felt a bit distanced from her. Perhaps simply because I lack the passion for making art myself - although I marvel at the beauty of works of art. The narrative was a bit rushed at certain times, squeezing in a large portion of her life into a fairly short book, considering. I have to say that the ending was moving and splendidly written. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in reading about the life of an artist and perhaps historical fiction lovers in general. 3.5 stars rounded up