Artemisia. Héroïne de l'art

An important artist of the Baroque era, Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-c. 1656) made her mark in the history of art through her exceptional career, at a time when painting was almost exclusively reserved for men.

A personality with an extraordinary destiny, she made her art a means of asserting her existence and defying the norms of her time. Born in Rome and trained in the studio of her father Orazio Gentileschi, Artemisia embraced the Caravaggesque revolution that was taking place in Italy in the early decades of the 17th century. Transcending the personal tragedies that marked her life, Artemisia created a body of work of extraordinary visual, dramatic and emotional power.

This richly illustrated book, accompanying the exhibition “Artemisia. Heroine of Art”, offers a renewed perspective on the work of Artemisia Gentileschi, placed in its historical, cultural and biographical context. Illuminating the multiple facets of the artist’s career, this catalogue also deepens the analysis of her status as a female painter, her creative methods and her relationships with the artistic legacy of her father and Caravaggio. Drawing on the analysis of her major works and recent attributions, the contributions of specialists demonstrate the originality of her style, between influences and innovations, and underline its importance in the history of 17th-century Western art.