About the Artist
Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1653) was an Italian Baroque painter, born in Rome at the dawn of the Baroque era. She trained under her father,
Orazio Gentileschi, a well-known artist of the time. Artemisia is regarded as one of the most accomplished painters in the generation following Caravaggio (
Caravaggio).
The Painting: Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting
Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting, also known as Autoritratto in veste di Pittura or simply La Pittura, is an oil-on-canvas painting measuring 98.6 by 75.2 centimeters (38.8 in × 29.6 in). The painting was likely produced during Artemisia's stay in England and is currently housed in the
Royal Collection (Windsor, United Kingdom) (
View on ArtsDot.com).
The painting showcases Artemisia as the allegory of painting, holding a palette and maulstick in one hand while applying paint to a canvas with the other. The composition mirrors other artworks of the time, using diagonal lines to emphasize her movement both in toward the canvas and out toward the viewer (
View Detail on ArtsDot.com).
The Allegory of Painting
Because Ripa’s image of “Painting” took the form of a woman, Gentileschi could use the description to her advantage to paint herself in the role of the best artist she could be. This self-portrait is unique in that it combines features of her own portrait with the depiction of the female allegory of painting (
View on ArtsDot.com).
Location and Acquisition
The painting was created during Artemisia's trip to England and was subsequently acquired by King Charles I. During the dispersal of the royal collection, it came into the possession of the
Royal Collection (Windsor, United Kingdom) (
View on ArtsDot.com).
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