A formidable artist and businesswoman of the baroque period, famous for her skill in conveying female strength and creating drama with her brush, Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1654) was – and still is – in high demand.
Centuries after her death, the Italian painter has become an icon of female courage and resilience, a shining beacon of feminist empowerment at a time when it was very rare for women to have any power or agency.
Forgotten by art history for more than 300 years, she is now celebrated for forging a career against the constraints of a hostile and deeply challenging environment for women. Gentileschi was the first woman member of Florence’s prestigious Accademia delle Arti del Disegno, which in 17th-century Italy was not an inconsiderable achievement.
