Summary

Artemisia goes up to the studio when the rest of her family is asleep. She uses her mother’s old mirror to look at herself naked so she can paint the female form of Susanna. She masturbates in bed, then wakes up to go to church. Tino gets into her carriage and sweet talks Tuzia into letting him ride along. The next day, Tino asks Artemisia to move to his studio.

In “Prepare,” Artemisia’s mother tells of Judith and her servant, Abra, setting off to set their murderous plan into action. In the lyrical verse section, Artemisia’s father berates her for painting Susanna without his instruction. He forces her to boil the glue and carry it up to the studio herself. Artemisia contemplates Tino’s offer and wonders whether he means to marry her. When he comes over, she asks him what...