Strong Wimmin in the Cleveland Museum

By Bev Stamp

In this, the third study in a series on strong wimmin at the Cleveland Museum of Art, we look first at a 19th Century French work, Judith with the Head of Holofernes. This is a terra cotta sculpture by Jean Baptiste Carpeaux (1827-1875). It is behind glass in Room 33, along with two of Rodin's sculptures which were discussed in Part 1 (WSW, December). We have since learned the story of Judith and wish to include the work at this time.

Judith (600 B.C.) is a legendary figure whose story is told in the Book of Judith, written to inspire the

"Running Woman"/Photo by J. Gulley

Jews to acts of heroism. Judith lived in the town of Bethulia, which had been conquered by the Assyrian general Holofernes and his troops. Jews were forced into exile, taken into slavery, or persecuted for their refusal to pay tribute to Holofernes' king. Judith, a very devout and learned womon, decided to take action against the enemy while most of her fellow Jews were bemoaning their fate.

The wimmin of the town had been raped, and Judith "prayed for the strength to take vengeance on those...men. She entered the camp of Holofernes easily passing by the soldiers who felt that a woman could be no threat. Judith feasted with Holofernes and they drank much wine. She had prepared his drink with herbs and powders, and he soon fell asleep. She then cut off his head with two sharp strokes. Then she wrapped his head in some cloth and passed through the gates of the city without detection. She placed Holofernes' head on one of the gate posts of the city for all to see. The army retreated and the Jews honored Judith with feasts and praises. The women held a special ceremony in which they sang, played instruments and danced all day and into the night in honor of their savior."

From Room 33, proceed to Room 19 at the south entrance of the museum. This is the Renaissance col-lection. The time of the Renaissance-the "new birth" or "enlightened" time-was roughly 1304-1576. Although advances were made in the arts, we must remember that throughout this period wimmin were persecuted and executed. Italy, which was the home of the Pope, issued decrees calling for the officers of the Inquisition to track down and execute witches in. Italy as well as other European countries. Millions of witches died.

There remains a black cloud of hatred, fear and ignorance hanging over the Renaissance: while all the

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(male) "rebirth" was going on, the Inquisition tried to exterminate all believers in the Old Religion, most of whom were wimmin. Like other acts of genocide, it was not successful-the witches walk among us today.

The strong wimmin images of the Renaissance are all in Room 19, which is the time of the High Renaissance (1500-1600). We first see the sculpture Venus, Goddess of Love (1560). This imposing figure is dark bronze, about 20 inches high, and has an athletic, powerful character. She stands with a towel draped over her right shoulder; her manner is sensual and very pleasing to the eye.

The most captivating womon-figure in the Renaissance room is a bronze 10-inch statute entitled Running Woman. It is from Padua and dated 1527. This womon, besides being athletic and energetic, has a fine sense of motion. As in Feast of the Gods, the name of this work is inaccurate. The womon is definitely not running, but rather appears to be throwing the discus. Upon further study of her physical characteristics, it was pointed out to us that she is too well-built for a runner. Perhaps the men who named this knew that she was not running but felt that only men are physically able to throw a discus. Whatever the reason, we feel we deserve to be taken more seriously. When men thoughtlessly misname wimmin's art, it helps to reinforce the general misogynist attitudes of our society.

Next to Running Woman is Woman with a Cornucopia from the early 1500's, a bronze statue of about the same height and also with a fine sense of motion. Her movement is not as strongly athletic as -Running Woman, yet she emanates_a_powerful impression of strength. She is also well-built and her left arm is extended-and-holds the cornucopia. Her right arm is also extended and she is turned towards that direction, her head looking downward.

The last work in this section is the Majolica Plate: The Three Graces (1525) by Maestro Giorgio. It is a classic view of the Three Graces, arms intertwined as always (sisterhood has been around a long time!).

The next room, No. 20, is Baroque Art. The time period for this art form is about 1550 to the late 1700's. It is characterized by the use of curved and contorted forms. Gargoyles or grotesque figures are often seen in works of this period.

Upon entering Room 20, which is directly across the hall from the Renaissance room, a painting to the right catches the eye. The Kiss of Peace and Justice (1654) is an oil on canvas by Laurent de la Hyre. The setting is classical, with ruins, vases with classic figures, and Latin script on one rock. It is a pastoral scene with sheep grazing in the distance. Two wimmin, Peace and Justice, are colorfully dressed. Justice, on the right, holds her scales of impartiality and fair play in her right hand; her left arm is draped over the womon representing Peace. She wears a crown of olive leaves. As the title states, they are physically and symbolically sealing a pact.

A good example of the baroque style in sculpture is the large Vase, by Massimiliano Soldani. It is very ornate with a womon in the center surrounded by cupid-type figures and gargoyles...

Along the right wall is Bernardo St. Rozzi's painting Minerva (1636). This is a baroque version of Athena and can be compared with Room 24's portrayal of Artemis, which is also baroque. In our opinion, Minerva is closer to the classical idea of the goddesses than is Rattier's Madame de Pompadour as Diana, in Room 24. The former is more athletic looking and courageous; the latter looks as if she belongs in a drawing room.

Among the baroque characteristics of Minerva is her ornate style of dress-feathers on her helmet and a red, fur-lined shield. Her face is wide-eyed and looks upward. Unlike the classical figures, the bar-

oque style is more romantic, sentimental and idealistic.

A large oil painting in the left-hand corner of the room is Rubens' Triumph of the Holy Sacrament Over Ignorance and Blindness (1627-28). Rubens' strong sense of motion is present here--the characters all seem to be in a hurry. Ignorance and blindness are represented by men; a womon, however, is carrying the Holy Sacrament. She wears a crown and rides in a gold chariot pulled by white horses.

Bernini's small terra cotta, Head of Proserpine (1621), is located in a case nearby. This fragment is much like a theatre mask. It emits much pathostears stream from one eye. Proserpine (Latin) or Persephone (Greek), is the "radiant maiden of Spring whose light step upon the dry brown hillside was enough to make it fresh and blooming, as Sappho writes:

I heard the footfall of the flower spring... -Persephone's footfall.'

The Olympian pantheon of 12 gods and goddesses was created from the conquered Goddess people. In Greece, the Goddess "married" new gods-all created by the victorious patriarchy. Thus the Great Mother Goddess was no longer an all-embracing concept. She was reduced simply to the wife of a powerful god. This fact should be remembered when studying or viewing Greek or Roman divinities as well as those belonging to other areas of the world.

Venus or Aphrodite was "the Goddess of Love and Beauty who beguiled all, gods and men alike, the laughter-loving goddess, who laughed sweetly or mockingly at those her wiles had conquered, the irresistible goddess who stole away even the wits of the wise...she moves in radiant light. Without her there is not joy nor loveliness anywhere....But she had another side too....In later poems she is usually shown as treacherous and malicious, exerting a deadly and destructive power over men." She is known not only for her great beauty, but also as a symbol of womon-centered spiritual energy over men. Thus a similarity is shown between Greco-Roman mythology and the Biblical story of Eve.

The next bronze sculpture is Sextus Tarquinius Threatening Lucrece by Hubert Gerhard. This twofoot-high work is vigorous and animated and contains a very powerful impression of male violence directed toward wimmin. Her terror is as obvious as his physical violence. Rape, even in the Renaissance, was a reality.

The story takes place around 508 B.C. According to Livy, the Etruscan king Sextus Tarquin was debating with a relative, Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus, the comparative virtue of their wives. Collatinus proposed that they take horse to Rome and surprise their ladies in the late hours of the night. They found the wife of Sextus feasting with intimates, but Lucretia, wife of Collatinus, was spinning wool for her husband's clothing. Sextus was inflamed with desire to try Lucretia's fidelity and enjoy her love. A few days later he returned secretly to the home of Lucretia and overcame her by wile and force. Lucretia sent for her father and her husband, told them what had happened, and then stabbed herself to death." Thus we have an early case of blaming the victim.

The next sculpture is the alabaster work, Seated Woman and Two Children: Charity, attributed to Germain Pilon (1535-1590). Charity, like peace, love, justice, victory and other virtues, is invariably portrayed as a womon. This work shows the tenderness and gentleness that wimmin possess.

Ahead in the glass case is a pair of candlesticks, one of which depicts the Triumph of Diana, by Jean Court Vigier. The candlestick is of painted enamel on copper in black, gold and white. Diana is shown in a

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