Disobedient: The gripping feminist retelling of a seventeenth century heroine forging her own destiny

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Not only does Elizabeth Fremantle’s Disobedience give flesh and bones to Artemesia and her family but her writing pulls you into the era to experience life too. And had me crying, not just emotionally about what happens but feeling helpless about the injustice too! Artemisia is a great subject for historical fiction, being a strong, ambitious, determined woman whose work has left a lasting impact. I have been interested in the paintings of Artemisia Gentileschi for a long time and knew her story so I was little doubtful about a fiction version of her life.

I have to admit I had no idea this was based on a real person and I also admit that my knowledge of art and painting was pretty limited: it also wasn't a topic that I was particularly interested in . Through effervescent prose, Elizabeth Fremantle brings the story of artist Artemisia Gentieschi to life. Fremantle has immense talent and told the story of an amazing and inspiring woman beautifully, rendering her human in the best and worst moments alike. I first found Gentileschi’s work when having to profile a female in the arts (in French), and so glad to have found this book to give her life story to a wider audience. Jealous of her superior talent, he enters into deals with devils in an attempt to change the course of Artemisia’s life, ensuring she remains down at heel to all the mediocre men in her life.

It’s a novel full of very strong emotion, and it’s inspired from the emotion and realism that can be seen in her paintings. This novel has a wonderful, if somewhat bloody beginning, acting like a promise of what’s to come and the author had captured my attention straight away. Artemisia was an Italian painter, born in Rome, eventually an artist of Florence, and this novel takes place while she is still living with her family in Rome, around the time she paints one of her most famous paintings. Artemisia Gentileschi’s painting skills quickly surpass her father’s, but society dictates that as a woman, she must stay home and protect her virtue. Shocking, gripping , Fremantle has crafted a tale that vividly evokes Baroque Italy by portraying a strong , assertive women .

The book depicts Artemisia as right at every turn, about everything, too talented to be properly understood, and with goals that are incomprehensible to her male contemporaries-- all things that are entirely untrue, even inside the novel itself.In the same year she painted her infamous Judith , and one of the great Renaissance masters was born. Dit is het verhaal van een jong meisje dat onrecht wordt aangedaan en die daar erkenning voor probeert te krijgen en er vooral uit wil ontsnappen. Uniformly terrific, with admirable and realistic heroines and superbly described historical settings. That being said, whatever revisionist history it may be, I’m still fully okay with us reclaiming Artemisia as a feminist pioneer and female empowerment icon and I enjoyed this absolute love letter to Artemisia.