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