Blood Water Paint
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4.5 • 11 Ratings
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- $5.99
Publisher Description
A harrowing and empowering story of strength and persistence in the aftermath of sexual assault, written in stunning verse and based on the life of seventeenth-century painter Artemisia Gentileschi.
LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD • A WILLIAM C. MORRIS DEBUT AWARD FINALIST • A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF THE CENTURY
"Haunting . . . teems with raw emotion . . . deftly captures the experience of learning to behave in a male-driven society and then breaking outside of it."—The New Yorker
He will not consume
my every thought.
I am a painter.
I will paint.
I will show you
what a woman can do.
After her mother died when she just twelve, Artemisia Gentileschi had a stark choice to make: a life as a nun in a convent, or a life grinding pigment for her father's paint.
She chose paint.
By the time she was seventeen, Artemisia did more than grind pigment. She was one of Rome's most talented painters, even if no one knew her name. But Rome in 1610 was a city where men took what they wanted from women, and in the aftermath of rape, Artemisia faced another terrible choice: a life of silence or a life of truth, no matter the cost.
Joy McCullough's bold novel in verse is a portrait of an artist as a young woman, filled with the soaring highs of creative inspiration and the devastating setbacks of a system built to break her. McCullough weaves Artemisia's heartbreaking story with those of ancient heroines Susanna and Judith, who become not only the subjects of two of Artemisia's most famous paintings, but also sources of strength as she battles to paint a woman's timeless truth in the face of unspeakable and all-too-familiar violence.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
McCullough's debut, told primarily in verse, introduces 17-year-old Artemisia Gentileschi, who was in real life a talented young painter during the Italian Baroque period. Grudgingly trained by her father and forced to sign his name to her clearly superior work, Artemisia chafes against the confines of being a woman in a male-dominated world. When an established artist takes an interest in her, Artemisia reaches for the opportunity to improve her craft, but she soon learns that his interest is less than noble and her protestations are no protection. Interspersed throughout Artemisia's story are those of ancient heroines Susanna and Judith, two women who stand against men who covet their bodies and seek to destroy. As Artemisia tries to tell the truths of these women on canvas ("I know/ what it is to be watched,/ to be leered at what it is to be a thing"), she grows into her own power and finds the strength to stand against her own rapist. A haunting, stirring depiction of an unforgettable woman, Artemisia's story will resonate deeply with readers today and beyond. Ages 14 up.)
Customer Reviews
Heartbreakingly Compelling
Blood Water Paint tells the story of Artemisia Gentileschi, a historical Italian painter, through poetry and prose. I love historical fiction, but I normally don’t care for poetry; McCullough may have just changed my perspective though. Artemisia’s story is heartbreaking, and yet it speaks to the harsh truth that many women have faced. It considers the misogynistic beliefs of our past, but it offers advice and insight that are arguably still relevant today. We also get to experience some of history’s favorite subjects in a way rarely painted before. Artemisia’s courage and passion are inspiring, and McCullough’s poetry is a compelling compliment to the story. I would recommend snagging yourself a copy if possible; I found mine on @libby.app