Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1656) recognized for her talent and as a woman who fought relentlessly against adversity and intimidation

Artemisia Gentileschi, Self Portrait (1630-1635). Oil on canvas, 38.58x29.33". Collection Palazzo Barberini, Rome.

Artemisia Gentileschi gained fame across Europe in the 17th century Baroque period, during a time when few women artists were formally recognized. Katy Hessel, London-based art historian and author of The Story of Art Without Men, spoke about her work on view at The National Gallery, London: "Gentileschi was the most famous female Old Master, you can see the female experience in her work. She was creating heroic female subjects and themes that are so contemporary, that seem so radical even today. Her struggles both personally and professionally are evident in these confident and brutal works. It was very difficult to be a woman in the 17th century, they were subjected to legal and social restrictions. You are a possession of a man, first your father and then your husband. She fought against that and managed to forge an independent career, which was exceptional. She also had the physical and financial strain as a mother of 5 children and the breadwinner.

Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Beheading Holofernes (c.1620). Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence. Depicts the biblical story of Judith and Holofernes, an heroic sisterhood and power against tyranny.

Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith and Her Maidservant with Head of Holofernes (1623-1625). Oil paint on canvas. (73.7 in) × (56 in). One of four paintings by the Italian baroque artist Artemisia Gentileschi that depicts the biblical story of Judith and Holofernes. Collection of Detroit Institute of Arts

There are about fifty-seven works by Artemisia Gentileschi and 94% (forty-nine works) feature women as protagonists or equal to men". They include Jael and Sisera, Judith and her Maidservant, and Esther. These characters intentionally lacked the stereotypical 

"feminine" traits—sensitivity, timidness, and weakness—and were courageous, rebellious, and powerful personalities.

Artemisia Gentileschi, Susanna and the Elders (1610). Oil on canvas, 67" x 47". Schönborn Collection. Weissenstein Palace, Pommersfelden, Germany. This painting is one of Gentileschi’s early works, created in 1610 when she was 17 years old. It depicts the biblical story of Susanna, showcasing Artemisia’s characteristic theme of women subjected to the gaze and judgment of men, painted with a unique perspective that emphasizes the female experience.

Gentileschi was commissioned to paint Allegoria dell'inclinazione (1615-1616) by Michelangelo Buonarroti the Younger (1568–1646) as part of a series of paintings to glorify the life of his great uncle, Michelangelo Buonarroti. The painting depicts "Inclination", or inborn creative ability, one of the "eight Personifications" attributed to the Renaissance master. Seated on a cloud, she holds a mariner's compass and is guided by a star above, signifying his natural disposition to greatness. Gentileschi worked alongside Giovanni Biliverti, Giovanni Coccapani and Matteo Rosselli to complete the series, while she was recovering from the birth of her second child. Read more.

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Read and watch: Artemisia Gentileschi: Female Empowerment in the Artistic Mythos by Arielle C. Frommer, The Harvard Crimson

Katy Hessel, author and producer of The Great Women Artists Podcast interviews National Gallery curator, Letizia Treves, on the REVOLUTIONARY Baroque artist, Artemisia Gentileschi and Webinar Artemisia Gentileschi | The Greatest Female Painter of the 17th Century, to celebrate the opening of 'Artemisia' at the National Gallery in London, sponsored by Sotheby’s.