Victoria Redel's sweeping new historical novel "I Am You" takes on a dizzying breadth of subject matter, including gender, art, women's rights, history and romance — all set in 1600s Amsterdam. The story follows famed Dutch painter Maria van Oosterwijck and her assistant, the younger painter Gerta Pieters, as the two defy the norms of the male-dominated art world and fall in love. Maria van Oosterwijck painted by Wallerant Vaillant in 1671. (Courtesy of The Fitzwilliam Museum)Book excerpt: 'I Am You'By Victoria RedelExcerpted from "I Am You: A Novel" by Victoria Redel. © 2025 by Victoria Redel.