Artemisia by Alexandra Lapierre

Artemisia

Alexandra Lapierre

Working as a professional painter in the early 1600s, Artmesia must prove she can survive, indeed thrive, on the intrigue, violence, jealousy, tensions and professional rivalry which abound this male dominated world. I was absorbed by the author's fascination with her subject - years of research have gone into creating a work of fiction based on the lives of a father and daughter and their love/hate relationship. Very compelling reading.


Extract
Gentileschi returned incessantly to this thought: why had he given his consent to the wedding of Artemisia and Pierantonio? For a second time, Orazio was losing the woman he loved: he no longer knew whether she was his wife or his daughter. But if you leave me, Artemisia, you deny yourself. I have turned you into such a great painter that no master can match you .... With that idiot who doesn't know how to hold a brush, you'll spoil your precious gifts. With me, you will fulfil yourself. He wants the money that your talent - my genius - will bring him. If you follow him, it's all over for your art, you'll go back to being a pitiful nonentity.
Parallels
  • Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
  • Music & Silence by Ruth Tremain
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Violence
Explicit sexual content