Lucrezia as Poetry 1641

Salvator Rosa painted "Lucrezia as Poetry" in Italy, sometime in the mid-17th century. Rosa was a rebellious artist who challenged the artistic norms of his time. He critiques the institutions of art. The painting depicts a woman, Lucrezia, who was a figure of virtue and chastity in Roman legend. However, Rosa does not portray her in a traditional, idealized manner. Instead, he depicts her as a poet, with a laurel wreath on her head, holding a writing instrument. Rosa's choice to depict Lucrezia as a poet challenges the traditional gender roles of his time, when women were not encouraged to pursue intellectual or artistic endeavors. The image creates meaning through visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations. In the 17th century the Academy was just being established as an important institution of artistic training and judgement. Rosa's self-fashioned image was in direct opposition to this. By examining historical texts, letters, and artistic treatises, we can understand the social and cultural context in which Rosa created this painting. The meaning of art is contingent on social and institutional context.