Summary

In “Sinful,” Artemisia’s mother continues the story of Susanna, who is tied up in the town square and set to be stoned at the word of her attackers who have accused her of being an unfaithful wife. Her sister, Rebecca, pleads for her, but the townspeople ignore her. In the main verse, Artemisia attempts to wash the blood out of her clothes. She realizes that she has not had her period in many weeks. She remembers the first time she got her period: the morning after her mother died. The next day, she went into her father’s studio and he asked her to fetch him a studio knife. She could tell the sight of her face, which looked so much like her mother’s, was painful to him. She thought of joining a nunnery, but instead became his apprentice, betrothing herself to...