Part I: Caravaggio & Gentileschi (at least 200 words) 

1. What is the story of Judith slaying Holofernes about? What key concepts or themes from the story do these paintings represent? (Be sure to include a citation for your outside sources. More on this in the notes below) 
2. How does each artist’s rendering of the story differ? What do they share? What does each artist’s rendering of the story tell us about the artist? 
3. Please look carefully at the second female figure in each of the paintings. Who is she? What social / economic class of society might she be from? How is she represented differently in the two works? What do those differences tell us about Gentileschi and Caravaggio as artists? 
4. How do these two images relate to contemporary social or political issues? What connections can we make to modern times? What did you take away from Tran’s exploration of the work? 

Part II: Selfie-Portraits (at least 100 words)

This week, we’ve focused on the politics of representation at play in the creation of portraits and self-portraits. However, we can’t escape this unit without some reflections on the ways in which digital technologies have shifted and morphed our capacity to self-represent. 

In a class that never meets face to face, sharing ourselves visually can be a powerful way to foster connection and exchange in new and unexpected ways. 

Casey N. Cep’s Pacific Standard article gives us some history and background on the genre and its connections to the historical mediums of portraiture and self-portraiture. 

For Part II of this week’s assignment, begin by reading Cep’s piece. Then, take a selfie or draw a self-portrait to upload along with your post.

Include with your selfie or self-portrait a few words about how and why you decided to self-represent in the ways that you did. 

• What are you hoping to communicate to the class about your self via this image
• What do you hope viewers will take away from your selfie? 
• What’s your unique "take" on selfies? Are they a powerful medium to represent that which has often been ignored? Or are they another tool of the patriarchy? Are selfies the modern day self-portrait or something else all together? All of the above? None of the above? 

You can get as creative as you want with the term "selfie" for this assignment — push yourselves to interpret the genre in new or different ways OR give us a more traditional image. It’s your choice! Either way, please be sure to upload an image and include some reflections on how your own selfie relates this week’s material.