Artemesia Gentileschi

Born in 1593 to famous painter Orazio Gentileschi, Artemesia would grow up to be one of the most famous baroque artists from the 17th century. Trained mainly under her father, she drew influence from Caravaggio, using dark colors and shadows and contrasting light and dark for emphasis in paintings. As well as the play on shadows, many of Gentileschi's paintings often depict violence, which relates back to the incidence that happened while she apprenticed with Agostino Tassi. Raped by her father's colleague at the age of 18, she took Tassi to trial. And though she was able to confirm the rape testimony (gathered under torture) and was able to get Tassi convicted, he never served time. Her angst over this can be seen in some of her more brutal paintings, particularly the Judith portrait in which she uses a biblical scene to convey the message that women will achieve justice by whatever means necessary:
 
Gentileschi, in most of her paintings, portrayed women her were both strong and vulnerable, much like herself.
Other paintings:


Source used: http://www.artic.edu/exhibition/violence-and-virtue-artemisia-gentileschi-s-judith-slaying-holofernes