SexViolHist Bib: Representations: Art: Kathleen Gilje

»Kathleen Gilje (born 1945) is an American art restorer and artist. She is best known for her appropriations of Old Master Paintings which combine their historical provenance with contemporary ideas and perspective.« (Extract from: Wikipedia)

Susanna and the Elders, Restored

I n f o r m a t i o n

»Many of her paintings engage with feminist issues, although they are sometimes controversial (as in her series of "Sargent's Women," portraying 48 women visually excised from paintings by John Singer Sargent, all rendered without their luxurious clothing). In Susanna and the Elders, Restored, 1998, Gilje exhibits a recreation of Artemisia Gentileschi's Susanna and the Elders (a story of sexual abuse) hanging next to an x-ray of the painting. When Gilje recreated Gentileschi's painting, she made an underpainting in lead white (lead white x-rays well) of Gentileschi's own rape by Agostino Tassi. In the x-ray we see Gentileschi's arm extended holding a knife in self-defense and her face contorted and screaming. The image can faintly be seen in the pentimento as well. Her references are provocative as she addresses timely social, political and personal concerns.« (Extract from: Wikipedia)

K e y w o r d s

I. Chronological Index: Modern History: 20^th Century

II. Geographical Index: -

III. Topical Index: Cases: Biblical Victims: Susanna | Types: General: Sexual Assault

B i b l i o g r a p h y

I. Author Index

[Info] Bal, Mieke. »NEIN! zu den Weinsteins dieser Welt: Susanna in Aufruhr.« Feministische Bibelwissenschaft im 21. Jahrhundert. Edited by Ilse Müllner et al. Stuttgart 2025: 200-210.

II. Speaker Index