In the 21st century we have come to accept that slut shaming can be a part of cases of sexual assault. However, for an amature historian like myself it is extremely hard to read a 17th century trial transcript and learn first hand that humiliating rape victims was not just happening, but that is was apparently an accepted practice.
Orazio Gentileschi recognized the promise in his daughters work so he arranged for her to have lessons from a family friend and artist, Agostino Tassi. Agostino was known from his skill with tromploi and his use of perspective.
Lessons progressed for a few months and during that time Agostino became more and more familiar with Artemisia. In today's terms he was grooming her.
In the spring of 1611 Agostino took advantage of Orazio being away from home. He convinced the upstairs neighbor Tuzia to let him into the Gentileschi family quarters where he attacked and raped Artemisia. Some writers have suggested that he took a friend - Cosimo Quorli - to hold Artemisia down, although from what I could tell Artemisia does not bring this up during the trial.
Artemisia struggled against Agostino, continuing to protest loudly after the rape was over, even attacking Agostino with a knife. Agostino said he would marry Artemisia, and she acquiesced. Artemisia's own words from the trail describe what happen next, “I felt calmer, and with this promise he induced me later on to yield lovingly, many times, to his desires, since many times he has also reconfirmed this promise to me.”
Time passed, and no wedding. Nearly a year later Orazio pressed charges.
Orazio brought the suit because at this time a woman couldn’t bring rape charges. It was considered a crime of property damage; Artemisia had lost “bartering value.”
Bartering value. Let that sink in for a minute.
Artemisia was further victimized by the courts. She underwent a pelvic examination in front of the court. Later, during questioning, thumbscrews were placed on her fingers and tightened to see if she would change her story under torture. Historians refer to this as Agostino Tassi's trial, but let's be clear: Artemisia and her father were the ones on trial. Artemisia was slut shamed by the court. She was blamed for the rape, Agostino's lawyers introduce "witnesses" who said she wrote erotic letters to other men, that she slept with at least five different men, and that she had committed incest with her father.
Still, Artemisia did not waiver. She was adamant in her story, that Agostino had attacked her, then later promised to marry her. She. Was. Adamant.
Half way through the trial Artemisia learned that Agostino had been married. Neither Artemisia or Orazio had any idea that Agostino had been married.
Agostino was despicable at best. During the trial it came out that he had been charged with sexual molestation of both young girls and boys before coming to Rome. When he agreed to teach Artemisia he was under investigation for raping his late wife's 14-year-old sister. He had been married, but when his wife left him she was stalked and murdered. The crime remains unsolved but several accounts suggest that Agostino was in some way responsible.
After a grueling 7 months the trail ended. The court transcript still exists, but unfortunately several pages from the verdict section are missing. We know that Agostino was convicted, as he was held in prison for eight months after the trial. Additional documents from the period imply that he was banished from working in Rome. Agostino was released from prison and pardoned and continued working in Rome.
One writer suggested that Pope Innocent admired Agostino's work and was instrumental in his pardon. It was through this association that Agostino enjoyed a long career in Rome.
Artemisia's hands healed. She left Rome and moved to Florence. Her art survives to this day.
Orazio also sought work outside Rome. He successfully worked for European nobility for the rest of his life. His art survives to this day.
Who was Agostino Tassi again? Anybody? Oh yeah, the rapist. That's his claim to fame.
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Bissell, R. Ward Artemisia Gentileschi and the Authority of Art: Critical Reading and Catalogue Raisonné. https://books.google.com/
Cascone, Sarah. "A New Book Uses 400-Year-Old Court Transcripts to Recreate Baroque Painter Artemisia Gentileschi’s Rape Trial". Art World. April 3, 2018 https://news.artnet.com/art-world/a-new-novel-artemisia-gentileschi-1255694
Cohen, Elizabeth S. "The Trails of Artemisia Gentileschi: Rape as History". The Sixteenth Century Journal, Vol. 31, No. 1, Special Edition: Gender in Early Modern Europe (Spring, 2000), pp. 47-75 (29 pages)
Marks, Tracy. Artemisia: The Rape and the Trial. http://www.webwinds.com/artemisia/trial.htm
National Gallery of Art. Orazio Gentileschi. https://www.nga.gov/collection/artist-info.1332.html
O'Neill, Mary. Artemisia’s Moment. Smithsonian Magazine, May 2002
No comments:
Post a Comment