Disobedient

“I’ll show you what a woman can do,” wrote the brilliant 17th-century painter Artemisia Gentileschi, whose determined, passionate character is triumphantly depicted in Fremantle’s (The Honey and the Sting) immersive new novel. Set mostly during Artemisia’s 17th year, the narrative depicts the young artist, painting in the dramatic style of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (called “Merisi” in the novel), as having already surpassed her father, respected artist Orazio Gentileschi—so much so that he begins passing his daughter’s work off as his own. Although she is incredibly talented (and even more headstrong, much to Orazio’s dismay), Artemisia is subject to the social mores of the times, so she is considered the property of her father until she is married, at which time she will become her husband’s property. Deeply devoted to her artistic endeavors, Artemisia cares little about social strictures and even less about being married, so when she is raped by her painting tutor, she pushes back against the traditional remedy for rape—marrying the rapist to preserve the family’s good name.