Artemisia Gentileschi

Artemisia is 17 during the narrative present. She grows up in Rome with a loving family, including her mother, father, and two younger brothers. When her mother, Prudentia, becomes pregnant with a second daughter, Prudentia begins telling 11-year-old Artemisia stories of Biblical women that are infused with psychological depth and wisdom intended to pass down from mother to daughter. Prudentia dies in childbirth after finishing telling Artemisia the stories of Judith and Susanna. Artemisia, who loses her mother and the long-sought-after sister she always dreamt of in one day, is devastated. She starts her period the next day. Her father, who sees her mother in her face, nearly sends Artemisia to a nunnery, but he notices that she has a talent for painting, so he takes her on as his apprentice.

Artemisia spends the next five years doing little else besides painting. Her skill and technique soon surpass...