TODAY, WE ARE DELIGHTED TO WELCOME BACK OUR GUEST AUTHOR, TONI KIEF, WHO IS SHARING EXCERPTS FROM HER HISTORIC NOVEL, 'MORE THAN A FOOTNOTE'. #RWRTeamBlog #ReadWriteRepeat

CHAPTER 1

ARTISTS

There are no records of who the artists of the prehistoric eras were, but studies of ethnographers and cultural anthropologists indicate that women often were the principal artists in Neolithic cultures. They created pottery, textiles, baskets, painted surfaces and jewelry. Collaboration on large projects was typical. Further research into the artwork and skills of the Paleolithic era suggests that these cultures were similar.

Even cave paintings often have human hand prints, 75% of which are identifiable as women's. It wasn’t the long nails that tipped them off.

In ancient India, it is said that for more than thousand years, the women – and only the women – of Mithila made the devotional paintings of the Hindu gods and goddesses.

We also must acknowledge the amazing skills making the demands of survival into art with pottery, tapestries, quilting, needle arts, painting, and cloth making. Women have often considered a belonging with few rights. Most of the names have been lost, and sometimes the fathers, spouses, or co-workers were given credit.

GUAN DAOSHENG

1262-1319 CE

China

Guan Daosheng also known as Guan Zhongji or Lady Zhongji (her courtesy name-I want a courtesy name) was born into a landed family in Huzhou, China. Her name translates to "Way of Righteousness Rising as the Sun". Guan grew up on her family's ancestral lands, nicknamed "The Roost of the Esteemed," Her father recognized her possibilities, so she was surprisingly well-educated and not surprisingly, highly talented.

In 1286, at age 24, Guan married Zhao Mengfu, a scholar, political official and artist. He is often considered the greatest artist of the earlier Yuan period. Guan and Zhao were highly regarded and rich. They established a home with gardens in Wuxing, and a retreat in Dongheng village near Deqing. Together(duh) they had four children. they raised with his children from a previous marriage.

Zhao worked for the Imperial court, making her travel possible. Guan used this opportunity to meet with many of the leading artists of the time, and associate with the upper classes, as wealthy folks do.

In 1279, Kublai Khan and his Mongol invasion was completed and he founded the Yuan Dynasty. To establish cultural control over the Chinese, he searched out the most talented scholars to serve at his court. This was when Zhao joined at the highest offices of state, and he was honored a great artist as well as a man of letters. He was assigned the task to record the emperor’s activities. Her husband’s success gave Guan the opportunity to display her own talents.

Guan and Zhao followed the Buddhist faith and made friends with monks, connecting with Zhongfeng Mingben who would become their teacher. The also met other monks and teachers that resided in the monasteries in the Tianmu Mountains.

Guan’s paintings start to appear around 1296, followed by her calligraphy in 1299. Her paintings were ink bamboo and plum with delicate strokes. It is suggested that Guan and her husband painted together. Her calligraphy with Zhao and one of their sons, Zhao Yong, was collected in a scroll by the Yuan Emperor Ayurbarwada, also known as Emperor Ren. "The imperial seal was applied to their work and they became part of the Imperial Archives collection."

Guan's work on bamboo painting was atypical for a female artist. The subject was thought to represent desirable masculine qualities. She is also believed to have depicted bodies of water alongside bamboo in her work which suggests a feminine associations to the plant.

A bamboo scroll of hers from 1301, was found in her husband's studio. It demonstrated her knowledge of working bamboo. The scroll stated: "To play with brush and ink is masculine sort of thing to do, yet I made this painting. Wouldn't someone say that I have transgressed? How despicable; how despicable."Guan's paintings of bamboo were widely praised by the critics who often voiced surprised that a woman could produce such strong masculine brushstrokes, and did not betray that it was a woman who made them. In 1317, the recognition helped Guan receive the title "Madam of the Wei Kingdom" from the imperial court. Her work received many honors and were housed in the collection of the imperial archives. The emperor commissioned Guan to copy the famous Thousand Character Classic. Her art became popular at court and at the same time she painted Buddhist murals for Yuan temples.

In Guan’s bamboo paintings she often depicted the subject as part of a landscape. The previous trend had been to paint the stalks individually. As seen in Bamboo Groves in Mist and Rain, attributed to Guan, the bamboo itself is painted as part of the thickets where it naturally grows.

Guan included poems on her paintings and used a style of poetry that was used rarely by women. Her poetry indicates a concern for her husband and children, but does this in a humorous way. At one time her husband considered taking a concubine. He wrote a short poem to Guan what he was contemplating to assure her she would remain as the official wife. Guan wrote “Song of You and Me” in response. She left it for him to find, and the subject was reportedly never raised again and even after her death, he did not remarry.

Much of Guan's work was dedicated to high-ranking female patrons. That action suggests she may have been promoting the influence of women at the imperial court.

Guan died in on board the official boat on her way home in 1319 at the age of 58. She had been suffering a long illness, possibly Beriberi. Zhao had sought permission to return due to his wife's illness. He sent a letter to a relative informing them of her death and the pain of his loss. It is known as ";Zuimeng tie" (Alcoholic delirium). It focused on his dislike of northern China's climate where they lived, as well as a suggestion that the northern diet contributed to her death. Today, their home and garden in Huzhou, Lianhuazhuang, and their tomb in the country at Dongheng have been restored, and a small museum has been built in her husband's honor.

FEDE GALIZIA

(1574) 1578 – 1630 CE

Milan, Italy

Who was Fede Galizia? She was born in either Trent or Milan, between 1574 and 1578. Given her gender and the many problems with the Italian historical archives, it is not an easy task to find any documentation regarding the painter and her life. So here we go -

Fede Galizia was born in Trent or Milan, Italy, most likely sometime before 1578. Her father, Nunzio Galizia, was a reknown painter of miniatures. Fede (whose name means "faith") surely learned to paint from her father. Her father may have been inspired to train his daughter by the example of Sofonisba Anguissola, who was from Cremona, around 50 miles from Milan and gaining great recognition at the time.

By the age of twelve, Fede was mentioned by Gian Paolo Lomazzo, a painter and art theorist friend of her father, who wrote, “This girl dedicates herself to imitate the most extraordinary of our art."

In her teen years she was already an established portrait artist with an international reputation. Surely it was her father';s work as a miniaturist that led to Fede’s profound attention to detail such as glasses, jewels and clothing made her a very realistic and desired portrait painter. Often commissioned for religious and secular themes some of her work has survived. Perhaps her most recognizable work was Judith with the Head of Holofernes painted in 1596 which is now in Sarasota Florida at the Ringling Museum of Art.

Fede often considered a pioneer of the still life genre. It appears that the disappearance of Fede from the historical record has less to do with her talent, recognized by major artists and collectors of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and more to do with how history systematically presents women as “flower painters.” Fede’s work shouldn’t be reduced to a single style. One of her signed still-life paintings of 1602 is said to be the first dated still-life by any Italian artist. Given the recognition by her contemporaries, it is difficult to understand how such a famous artist during her lifetime could have fallen into oblivion.

Although she was never completely erased by the city guides of Milano. Sixty-three works have been cataloged as hers, of which 44 are still-lifes. Jesuit scholar and historian Paolo Morigia was one of Fede's earliest patrons, and in a collection of short biographies published in 1595 he wrote that she showed signs of "becoming a truly noble painter." He praised one of her portraits of him, declaring this work "of such excellence, and such a good likeness, that one could not desire anything more." Although that particular portrait was lost, another of him was painted a year later, and survives to this day.

Fede never married, and the exact date of her death is unknown. She did draft a will in 1630, which we used as a clue. This was during the time an Italian plague that was sweeping the country—it is assumed she fell victim to the disease and died around this time.

ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI

Jul 08, 1593 - 1656 CE

Rome, Italy- Naples, Italy

Artemisia Gentileschi was born the 8th of July, 1593. Artemisia was the daughter of painter Orazio Lomi Gentileschi and her mother, Prudenzia di Ottaviano Gentileschi died when Artemisia was 8 years old. Considering Artemisia was the first of six children and eight when her mother died, I’m not surprised to see it was during childbirth. Her father, Orazio, was an accomplished artist and was a follower of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, better known as Caravaggio. Her father’s studio was very successful and there was an endless stream of artists and models. This made it possible for Artemisia to nurture her talent. As her art developed she never lost the influence dark and shadow of her father’s original inspiration and she was often called "Caravaggista"

In this era women were not invited into the art community. Artemisia had an in with her father’s influence and successful studio. She was able to study in this community of men. Hoping to help the 17-year-old Artemisia to refine her painting technique, her father hired Agostino Tassi to tutor her. This gave Tassi one-to-one access to Artemisia and during one of their tutoring sessions, he raped her. Initially she continued to see Tassi, he convinced her she would have to marry him. When her father learned of this he brought charges against Tassi. Artemisia was tortured with thumbscrews to test her truthfulness. This must have been even more devastating for an artist, but miraculously, Artemisia escaped permanent damage to her hands. In court Tassi denied ever having had sexual relations with Gentileschi and brought many witnesses to testify that she was "an insatiable whore."The testimony was refuted by Orazio (who sued him for perjury). Artemisia's accusations against Tassi were corroborated by a former friend of his who recounted Tassi's boasting about his sexual exploits at Artemisia's expense. It came out that Tassi had been imprisoned earlier for incest with his sister-in-law and was charged with arranging the murder of his previous wife. Orazio, her father sought justice for his daughter, and Tassi was convicted and sentenced to He was convicted on the charge of raping Artemisia and he was sentenced to less than a year in prison, and to be exiled from Rome. Tassi avoided this punishment by involving the Pope to protect him due to his art. He was later invited back to the Gentileschi studio.

Artemisia left her father’s studio moving away from Rome. During this transition, Artemisia married a fellow artist, Pietro Antonio di Vicenzo Stiattesi, and they settled in his home province of Florence. Her marriage was more for convenience than passion, but it was key in progressing her art. Artemisia had impressive and wealthy connections from her time in Rome, such as King Philip IV of Spain, Cosimo de' Medici and even astronomer Galileo Galilei. This was key in promoting any career. This was when she received one of her first major commissions, for a fresco at the Casa Buonarotti, the home of Michelangelo, which was being turned into a monument and museum to the painter. With this support she continued to develop her distinctive style.

In 1618, Artemisia and her husband had a daughter, Prudentia, who was named after Artemisia's deceased mother. Financial problems, alongside widespread rumors regarding Artemisia's affair with a Florentine nobleman called Francesco Maria di Niccolò Maringhi caused her to Rome without her husband. She was not as successful in Rome as in Florence and toward the end of the decade she spent some time in Venice.

Continuing her nomadic lifestyle without her husband, Artemisia and her daughter moved to Naples in 1630, where she worked with a number of well-known artists. It was 1638 Artemisia was invited to the court of Charles I of England. Her father had been the court painter since 1626. While in London Artemisia painted some of her most famous works including her Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting (1638). It has been suggested that she worked alongside her father on an allegorical fresco for the Greenwich residence of Charles I's wife, Queen Henrietta Maria. Her father died in 1639 at the age of 75 and so it is probable Artemisia's was necessary to complete this significant project.

Artemisia appears to have stayed in London for a couple of years. Little is known of her later movements, although some correspondence dated as late as 1650 suggests that she returned to Naples and was still actively working.

Her date of death is uncertain, but speculations suggest she may have died of the plague which devastated Naples in 1656. Although the precise date has been questioned for centuries. Some argued that she had passed away earlier, but commissions have since been uncovered after that date.

She was both praised and disdained by contemporary critical opinion, of the time, but there was no denying her genius. How dare a woman exercise such creative talent previously considered exclusively male. In the words of Mary D. Garrard, she "has suffered a scholarly neglect that is almost unthinkable for an artist of her caliber." Although respected and well-known during her lifetime, after her death Artemisia was almost entirely omitted from art historical accounts of the time. This is partly because her style was often similar to her father and many of her works were mis-attributed to him.

Artemisia's work was rediscovered in the early 1900s and was particularly championed by the Caravaggio scholar Roberto Longhi. The accounts of her life and painting, were colored by exaggeration and sexualized interpretations. This is partly due to a sensationalized novel about Artemisia published by Longhi's wife Anna Banti in 1947.

In the 1970s and 1980s, feminist art historians such as Mary Garrard and Linda Nochlin began to study Artemisia Gentileschi and it led to changes and new discoveries They focused on her artistic achievements and her influence on the course of art history rather than on her biography. In the 1976 “Women Artists 1550-1950 Exhibition catalogue, the art historian Ann Sutherland Harris argued that Artemisia Gentileschi was "the first woman in the history of western art to make a significant and undeniably important contribution to the art of her time".

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https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B37R8S3H/

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Author Toni Kief

AUTHOR BIO

Toni Kief was born in a small Midwestern town in Illinois to a family of high spirits and laughter. Then, after moving to Florida for some years, Toni joined her sisters in moving to her mother’s hometown of Marysville, Washington. The plan is to stay for the view, family, and friends.

Toni was the first woman outside a casualty investigator in Florida and continued the career in Washington. A longtime civil rights activist, Toni shares stories about marches, actions, and lunches with famous names.

She came to writing on a dare in her 60s, and invented the genre of OA–old adult, aka Matron and Boomer fiction. Always a reader, it was no surprise when her writing dove into historical books, which brought her to the Marysville Historical Society. Members of the Historical Society have participated in and inspired this book.

Now retired and not one to rest much, her writing has taken over. Toni and Susan Brown, another author, are the founders of The Writers Cooperative of the Pacific Northwwest.

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COMING SOON: On Monday, 31st August, our team member, author Eva Bielby, will be sharing Part 1 of her short story, 'World's End'.