Mother LU, 2018

Rebecca Rosen  

Reading the history of art through the feminist prism regularly crosses the work of Rebecca Rosen: we find her in her illustration / print project "The Power of Women", in which she diverts the series of engravings from the same name created in the 16th century by Lucas Van Leyden.

A series of six two-color serigraphs were printed in only 5 copies. They are signed and numbered by the artist.

Lu Mu (? -18 CE), was a widow, head of the family, and entrepreneur in Langya Haiqu, now known as Rizhao, China. In the year 9 BCE, imperial power was usurped by Wang Mang, who decreed a new economic policy deemed unjust by many. When Lu Mu's son, a commissioner in a rural county, refused to punish citizens who did not pay their taxes, he was executed by his supervisor. Furious, Lu Mu decided to mount a rebellion; she opened a tavern which served as a place of recruitment and deposit for the weapons and horses which she accumulated in secret. She sets strict rules for her army, prohibiting looting. in AD 17, Lu Mu and his army stormed the county seat and won the battle. Lu Mu beheaded the supervisor and put his head on the altar of his deceased son. Despite Lu Mu's death from illness the following year, his army continued to grow and eventually dethroned Wang Mang.
(Note the anachronism in that Lu Mu is dressed by the Clothing line.)