著者

三谷 紗世

出版者

関西学院大学

雑誌

関学西洋史論集 (ISSN:03860043)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.30, pp.37-52, 2007-03

---

Artemisia Gentileschi is an important Baroque woman painter who painted some dramatic pictures of Judith, a biblical female 'hero', under the influence of Caravaggio's realism. She, however, was ignored by the 20th century art historians until in the 1970 's, when she was rediscovered by the feminist art historians as a female 'hero' of feminists. In this article, I wish to reevaluate Artemisia in the context of Firenze history, mainly focusing the images of Judith who she painted. How do we explain Artemisia's realism? Why did she make up her originality which was very different from her master, Caravaggio? All Judith images of hers are very realistic, which gives powerful and victorious elements to her works. Her realism was also emphasized by some violent elements. According the art interpretations, Artemisia's Judith had been believed to express her emotion of revenge to her rape experience for a long time. But, can we explain her realism only by taking up her personal unfortunate experience? Judith as a saint patron in Firenze has the dual images of virtues and vices. From the fifteenth to the seventeenth century, she was a symbol of victory and welfare as a patron of the Medici as well as of the Firenze's people. In the days when the Medici was ousted, however, she was also ousted as a symbol of violence. The relationship between Judith and Firenze or the Medici corresponds to that of Artemisia's. In those days, painters were craftsmen/craftswomen rather than artists. Even Artemisia was not free from her patron, Cosimo II, who wished to get back the time of Medici's prosperity, by evaluating the symbolism of Judith. In conclusion, Artemisia's realism on Judith will be explained only by considering how Judith was recognized by Cosimo II, Firenze's people, and Artemisia in the context of seventeenth century Firenze history.