Artemisia Gentileschi
Well, today is my birthday! On this occasion, as always, I would like to share with you one of the paintings I truly love (more on it below) and to lower the price for DailyArt PRO from the usual $5.99 to $1.99, only for this day. Just tap the Upgrade to PRO button to make it happen. : )
“The Lord has struck him down by the hand of a woman.” So says Judith, a young Jew from Bethulia, in the Bible when she describes her heroic act that freed the people of Israel from the siege by Nebuchadnezzar's army. Judith went to the encampment of the fierce Holofernes, general of the enemy army, dressed in her best clothes and feigning a wish to forge an alliance. Struck by her beauty, the Assyrian general invited her to a lavish banquet in his tent. After eating and drinking, Holofernes, now drunk, fell asleep on his bed, allowing Judith to seize her chance to draw her scimitar and strike the deadly blow.
In this powerful painting Artemisia Gentileschi portrays the moment that Holofernes has already been killed and Judith has his head in a basket. Today, this painting also represents the human and professional tale of a woman who chose to be an artist in an era dominated by men; in this she succeeded, working in the courts of Rome, Florence, and Naples, traveling to England and finally becoming the first woman to enter the Academy of Art and Design in Florence. Artemisia led a fascinating life, even though in some moments it was truly tragic. If you don't have enough of her she is featured in our Paper 2021 Calendar and Women Artists Notebook—check them here.
P.S. Happy birthday Zuzanna! <3 Best Wishes from the DailyArt Team! :-) Here's your favorite painting for your birthday!
P.P.S. If you would like to know more about how incredible an artist Artemisia was, read about her story transformed into a comic book and a theater play!