Artemisia

Artemisia Gentileschi is one of the most fascinating artists in history.

Apprenticed at an early age to her father, the 17th century painter Orazio Gentileschi, she rapidly becomes more famous than he was, for her rich, dramatic canvases.

But her fame was tarnished by scandal. At the age of seventeen, she was violently raped by Agostino Tassi, an artist friend of her father.

On discovering his betrayal, Orazio took the case to court and there followed, in 1612, eight months of humiliation for Artemisia as the trial continued.

It is the first rape trial ever to be fully documented.