The Imagery and Politics of Sexual Violence in Early Renaissance Italy

This book explores depictions of rape in Italian painting at the dawn of the Renaissance, revealing how gender and aggression were linked to war, abduction, sodomy, prostitution, pregnancy, and suicide. It also examines how the new naturalism in painting increased verisimilitude and fostered imagery that coupled eroticism and violation.

Format: Hardback
Length: 300 pages
Publication date: 26 January 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

This book is a groundbreaking exploration into the portrayal of rape in Italian painting during the early Renaissance. Drawing upon a vast array of primary sources, Péter Bokody delves into the representations of sexual violence found in various domains such as religion, law, medicine, literature, politics, and history writing. Spanning across kingdoms (Sicily and Naples) and city-republics (Florence, Siena, Lucca, Bologna, and Padua), Bokody uncovers a diverse range of visual discourses that often exhibited misogynistic endorsements. However, it is noteworthy that certain urban communities used propaganda against tyranny to condemn rape, highlighting the complex interplay between gender, aggression, and war. These depictions of rape frequently intertwined concepts of gender, aggression, and war, as well as kidnapping, sodomy, prostitution, pregnancy, and suicide.

Furthermore, Bokody's study sheds light on the emergence of new naturalism in painting, pioneered by the influential artist Giotto. This artistic movement not only enhanced the realism and verisimilitude of paintings but also fostered imagery that blurred the boundaries between eroticism and violation. By examining images and texts that have been overlooked in the past, Bokody offers fresh insights into the intersection of gender, policy, and visual culture, with profound implications for our contemporary understanding. This book is a valuable contribution to the field of art history and gender studies, providing a deeper understanding of the complex and multifaceted representations of rape in Renaissance Italy.

Weight: 802g
Dimension: 184 x 261 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781009100687