BBC History UK 04.2020

She had a turbulent personal life but that didn’t

stop Artemisia Gentileschi becoming one of the

greatest painters of the 17th century. In fact, as

Catherine Fletcher reveals on the eve of a

National Gallery exhibition on the artist, trauma

spurred Artemisia on to greater heights

The pain

that powered

Artemisia

I

n 1620, the artist Artemisia

Gentileschi was in the process of

splitting up with her husband. In

between the legal paperwork, she

made a painting of the Old

Testament heroine Yael. In the

Book of Judges, Yael saves the

Israelites by assassinating the Canaanite

commander Sisera. Artemisia showed her

in modern dress, poised to hammer a nail

through Sisera’s head. It’s tempting to wonder

quite what Artemisia’s ex made of it all.

Once perceived as a novelty on account of

her sex, Artemisia is now regarded as one of

the most important European painters of the

17th century. She was an impressive entrepre-

neur with what art historian Mary Garrard

has called “almost unreasonably grand

ambition”. Her extraordinary portrayals

rework themes from biblical and classical

sources to show women in control not only

of their own destiny, but those of their people.

Judith, another biblical heroine, famously

assassinated an enemy general, Holofernes.

Artemisia, however, added her own visceral

spin to the killing, showing Judith in the act

of beheading Holofernes, blood spurting

from his neck as she puts the power of her

arm into the sword.

Born in Rome in 1593, Artemisia was the

daughter of Orazio Gentileschi, an artist

influenced by the leading Italian painter

Caravaggio. She appears to have had a

sheltered childhood but one in which she was

given the opportunity to acquire skills in

painting – and, by her late teens, she was

already producing spectacular art. Her

earliest surviving work is Susanna and the

Elders. Painted in 1610, it shows two older

men spying on the virtuous Susanna in her

bath. This was a popular biblical subject, but

while many portrayals showed Susanna

either oblivious to the Elders’ gaze or even

perhaps enjoying it, in Artemisia’s painting

Shehada turbulentpersonallifebutthatdidn’t

stopArtemisia Gentileschibecomingone of the

greatestpaintersof the17thcentury.In fact,as

Catherine Fletcherrevealsontheeveof a

NationalGalleryexhibitionontheartist, trauma

spurred Artemisia on to greater heights

The pain

that powered

Artemisia

I

n1620,theartistArtemisia

Gentileschiwasintheprocessof

splittingupwithherhusband.In

betweenthelegalpaperwork,she

madea paintingoftheOld

TestamentheroineYael.Inthe

BookofJudges,Yaelsavesthe

IsraelitesbyassassinatingtheCanaanite

commanderSisera.Artemisiashowedher

inmoderndress,poisedtohammera nail

throughSisera’shead.It’stemptingtowonder

quitewhatArtemisia’sexmadeofit all.

Onceperceivedasa noveltyonaccountof

hersex,Artemisiais nowregardedasoneof

themostimportantEuropeanpaintersofthe

17thcentury.Shewasanimpressiveentrepre-

neurwithwhatarthistorianMaryGarrard

hascalled“almostunreasonablygrand

ambition”.Herextraordinaryportrayals

reworkthemesfrombiblicalandclassical

sourcestoshowwomenincontrolnotonly

of their own destiny, but those of their people.

Judith,anotherbiblicalheroine,famously

assassinatedanenemygeneral,Holofernes.

Artemisia,however,addedherownvisceral

spintothekilling,showingJudithintheact

ofbeheadingHolofernes,bloodspurting

fromhisneckassheputs the power of her

armintothesword.

BorninRomein1593,Artemisiawasthe

daughterofOrazioGentileschi,anartist

influencedbytheleadingItalianpainter

Caravaggio.Sheappearstohavehada

shelteredchildhoodbutoneinwhichshewas

giventheopportunitytoacquireskillsin

painting– and,byherlateteens,shewas

alreadyproducingspectacularart.Her

earliestsurvivingworkisSusannaandthe

Elders. Paintedin1610,it showstwoolder

menspyingonthevirtuousSusannainher

bath.Thiswasa popularbiblicalsubject,but

whilemanyportrayalsshowedSusanna

eitheroblivioustotheElders’gazeoreven

perhaps enjoying it, in Artemisia’s painting