Artemisia Gentileschi

Artemisia Gentileschi, the rare female star of Baroque art, was born in Rome to a painter father who, unfortunately, wasn't quite as good as she was. Despite a life rife with personal drama – including a notorious rape trial that stained her reputation but perhaps fueled her art – she carved out an impressive career, rubbing shoulders with Galileo and becoming the first woman admitted to Florence's Accademia di Arte del Disegno. One might say she painted her own path.

Her canvases often depict powerful women from mythology and the Bible, not as meek victims, but as fierce, active figures. Think Judith beheading Holofernes, not just staring at him awkwardly. While her subjects were deeply rooted in Christian narratives, her innovative use of chiaroscuro and dramatic realism gave them a raw, human intensity that resonated far beyond religious dogma.

Alas, for those hoping for a Jewish connection, Artemisia Gentileschi remains firmly in the Gentile camp. Her origins were Italian Catholic, and her identity was steeped in the artistic and religious milieu of 17th-century Italy. Still, her resilience and artistic genius are certainly kvell-worthy on a universal scale, even if there's no immediate Jewish link.