The Penitent Magdalene Analysis

In conclusion, in Home of Mercy Gwen Harwood highlights the repression of females within society by emphasizing the restrictions put on the girls within the Magdalene Asylums by using descriptive language that shows the dehumanization of the girls and women. Harwood also conveys the hypocritical nature of the Magdalene asylums that were originally set up to be rehabilitation assistance, and stresses how the religion is acting duplicitous and deceiving. Overall Harwood evokes the suppression of women within society using the example of the Magdalene

A review of the world’s great artists conjures familiar images: Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel; Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night; Pablo Picasso’s The Tragedy. There are many more, of course: Monet, Moya, Warhol, Rembrandt, Kandinsky. What is immediately noticeable, however, upon any brief study of art, is the significant absence of women as heralded artists—not only in our ancient pasts, but even today, amongst valiant efforts for gender equality.

“Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.” -Oscar Wilde. Women are wild, sensitive, magnificent, mysterious, and above all: individual. Art’s many different medias allowed artist throughout the ages to capture women at both their strongest and most vulnerable points. It has the power to capture a woman: as a naïve, young girl clutching her brother as they are painted into a lasting portrait, a golden statue of an angel sent down to Earth to help a saved man take his first steps into an eternal life with God, to the powerful goddess, Artemis, transforming a hunter into a deer and having his hunting dogs tragically attack him. The six pieces of art chosen express the individuality of each women who has walked, walks, and will walk the earth.

Artemisia Gentileschi was not the first to paint Judith Slaying Holofernes. Her father had painted Judith. Michelangelo, Botticelli and Caravaggio had painted Judith. Donatello had sculpted Judith. But she was the first to interpret the story of Judith, in a time when women had few rights, as an allegory for female dominance. In comparison with other contemporary versions, the composition, dramatic style, and emotions of the characters present a violently feminist view that may have stemmed from Gentileschi's own experiences.

In addition, I will examine the differences between male and female sexuality and how each tended to be perceived and treated by society. Then, I will look at prominent female artists and their personal experiences and beliefs on feminism and the female in their art focusing on how it tended to be received along how male artists responded to it. Mainly, I will be analyzing the clash of sexualized images in art, focusing on the differences not only between male made art versus female art, but the differences in the women’s art community, as well. What are the reasons and goals for women to use a “sexualized image” of women in their art versus

How do the works of Yasumasa Morimura, Julie Rrap and Anne Zahalka challenge conventional ways in which gender has been depicted historically in the visual arts?

Artemisia Gentileschi is believed to have been born around 1593 and died around 1652.  Both dates are disputed to the current day.  She was one of five children and was born into the life of an artist.  Her father, who was an artist as well, loved her greatly.  Her mother died when she was twelve.  Artemisia was always a skilled painter, but her father wanted even more for her daughter.  While her works were already amazing for her age, she needed artistic guidance in order to further her skills.  One man who was hired as a tutor was named Agostino Tossi.  Tossi almost immediately was an annoying presence in the house frustrating Artemisia.  However, in 1610,

Italian Baroque painter, Artemisia Gentileschi was born in Rome on July 8th, 1593. Her father Orazio Gentileschi, who was a painter himself, introduced Artemisia to the art of painting by giving her lessons in his studio. At an early age, Artemisia displayed her interest in art and it wasn’t long until her father noticed potential in his daughter enough that she would be able to make a name for herself in the male-dominated career. Artemisia had the desire to follow in her father’s footsteps, it was then that Orazio encouraged her to follow her dreams and decided to begin training her as an artist.

Nanette Salomon emphasizes that there are different ways to make sense of the changes in Artemisia’s three “Susannas”. One explanation may be that Artemisia’s work show progressive naturalism or realism which can be attributed to her development as an artist.

The 17th century was a time of great change in the art world; characterized by the introduction of the Baroque style and the Counter-Reformation, the influential and talented artist Artemisia Gentileschi was born into this period. Gentileschi was one of the few female artists during the renaissance period due to a misunderstanding among the male artists of that period that women are automatically inferior in intelligence due to their very nature. Gentileschi was decided to be an anomaly among artists due to her brilliant painting skills and considered rare. Despite having many detrimental setbacks to Gentileschi’s career and mental wellbeing, she went on to become a very successful

“From prostitute to sibyl to mystic to celibate nun to passive helpmeet to feminist icon to the matriarch of divinity’s secret dynasty.” (James Carroll “Who is Mary Magdalene”) What we know for sure is that Mary Magdalene was a former sinner that became a leading figure in Jesus’ followers. She stayed by Jesus’ side, to the end, she visited him at his tomb, and was the first person that Jesus “appeared after his resurrection and the first to preach the “Good News” of that miracle.” During the time period of this painting Mary Magdalene, a sinner and prostitute, illustrated “the very essence of spiritual conversion.” (Ebert-Schifferer 63) It’s no stretch to say that the painting is meant to show the moment at which Mary changes her ways, and becomes “married to the word of god”. The conversion of Mary was a new concept to Rome, The book “Caravaggio: The Artist and His Work” claims that this painting is the first to depict it.

Considered one of the most important artists of the Baroque movement in Early Modern Europe, Artemisia Gentileschi, had to prove herself and break down the boundaries for a woman in a male dominated field. Artemisia was born in Rome on July 8, 1953 to Orazio and Prudentia Monotone Gentileschi, who died when the artist was only twelve years of age. Her upbringing was left to her father, who was also a well-known painter. He trained her since she was not permitted to learn in the studios of successful artists of the moment. Orazio introduced his daughter to the working artists of Rome including Caravaggio, whose tenebrism technique and chiaroscuro style had a great influence on her paintings.

Throughout history many artistic works have been deemed "great" and many individuals have been labeled "masters" of the discipline. The question of who creates art and how is it to be classified as great or greater than another has commonly been addressed by scholars and historians. The last quarter of the 20th century has reexamined these questions based on the assertions that no women artists have ever created or been appreciated to the level of "greatness" that perpetually befalls their male counterparts. The position that society has institutionalized on women as unable to be anything but subordinate and unexpressive is a major contributor to this claim. Giving a brief history of gender discrimination in the art

Artemisia Gentileschi’s Venus and Cupid is a painting of an angel caressing a woman resting on the bed. In actuality, the painting is about Venus, the Goddess of Love, who is asleep in a very luxurious and classical environment. While she is asleep, Cupid diligently wields a peacock-feathered fan to keep away pests, which makes the environment more safe and peaceful. Primarily strong contrasting lights and darkness display Gentileschi’s work, perhaps inspired by both her father and Caravaggio. Her paintings are all primarily bold compositions for example the

Leonardo Da vinci painted the “Mona Lisa” in 1503. The artist portrays a young woman, which acquires the concept of feminine youth and more essentially the concept of elegance. In relation to Agnolo firenzuola’s novel “On The Beauty Of Women” , the portrait attributes to major physical characteristics in which is considered to be genuine beauty by the modern man. Seeing the female portraiture of the italian renaissance, Firenzuola implies a specific interpretation by analyzing the modern woman. Through the famous paintings illustrated by Leonardo da Vinci, the Mona Lisa specifically supports the arguments and claims made by the poet’s correspondence to the beauty of women. Along with Da Vinci’s sticking features, the artist paints Firenzuola’s ideal beauty in comparability to the appearance of definitive grace. With his analyzations being extremely aesthetic, Firenzuolo activates criticizing aspects of the proportions of the figure, the placement of the figure’s position and the importance of the half length portrait of the feminine nature in relation to the portraiture of Mona Lisa.