Foreign film recommendation - on Florence Academy's 1st female art student

October Reader · 01-12-2005, 02:32 AM

"Artemisia" - French film made in 1998 available from Netflix.

Fascinating, dramatic, and, scandalous for the prudish. Depictions of tricks of the trade in that era were absolutely intriguing. People who enjoyed "The girl with Pearl earing" will probably like this one too.

Here is the write up on Netflix:
The 17th century is no place for a budding female artist -- even for Artemisia Gentileschi (Valentina Cervi), the teenage daughter of one of the most revered Italian painters. Barred from fully practicing her art, she finds a tutor -- and a lover -- in painter Agostino Tassi (Miki Manojlovic), who was later tried for her rape. Based on actual events, the film received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

Terri Ficenec · 01-12-2005, 02:53 AM

October, Thanks for posting this! I'll have my husband add it to our Netflix list. . . didn't realize they'd made a movie out of it, but I've read the book and it was really interesting.

Sharon Knettell · 01-12-2005, 09:50 AM

I loved, loved, loved, it! Much more interesting than the FX flicks that are swamping the theaters. Fast moving, informative, sexy and fun.

October Reader · 01-12-2005, 04:33 PM

Terri, what's name of the book you read on Artemisia? What style of writing is it? Thanks! Just wondering if I should add it to my Christmas 2006 wish list. I know, my poor husband!

Terri Ficenec · 01-12-2005, 08:12 PM

The book was "The Passion of Artemesia" by Susan Vreeland. They've got it at Amazon.com along with an excerpt of the beginning of the book that you can read to get a sense of the style.

It looks like they've got 2 different Artemisia books there. Haven't read the other one.

Mike McCarty · 01-14-2005, 11:00 AM

I watched this film last night (VHS from Blockbuster rental). In my opinion it was far and away better than "Pearl Earing." Much more substantive and all those blushing things that I am much too shy to mention.

I know we can't show nudes but can we talk about them?

Kimber Scott · 03-10-2005, 03:12 AM

Thanks for recommending the movie. It was terrific! I can never watch anything without nitpicking, though. According to the movie, Agostino Tassi was sentenced to two years in prison for the crime of raping Artemesia. I have read elsewhere, he was acquitted. It seems the rape and Artemesia's torture at the trial, combined with his acquittal, caused her a considerable amount of emotional distress throughout her life. Some of her more violent works are attributed to her trying to deal with the pain. (Judith and Holofernes, for example.) Does anyone have any further information on this?

Secondly, with regard to the art of landscape painting. I'm currently studying 19th Century French Art and Culture. Prior to the popularity of the Barbizon school and the Impressionist movement, landscape painting was considered "bottom of the barrel" work, so to speak, just under portraiture. (No offense. That's just the way it was.) I felt the movie, "Artemesia," attempted to glorify the landscape (200 years before it's time) by showing Artemesia and Agostino growing rapturous over it. It is my impression, during that time period and in that place (17th century, Rome), the glory of art was to be spent on religious work. Landscape was not a priority. Am I wrong on this? (I don't think so. I have yet to see a serious piece of landscape from the 17th century. I'd love to, if anyone can point me to it.) Of course, the rapture in the movie could have simply been a lead in to the rapture in the bedroom and I'm making more of this than need be. Poetic license.

Anyway, it was a great story. Wonderful movie. The conflict kept me on the edge of my seat and it introduced me to Artemesia Gentileschi. I had never heard of her and her work is quite good and very inspirational. Thank you, again.