The artistic skills of Artemisia Gentileschi are recognized and encouraged by her father Orazio. She is like him an excellent colorist. Very early she dares the female nude. In 1611, aged between 18 and 21, she is raped by a collaborator of her father. This crime reinforces her desire to feature the violent heroism of the women of the Bible against the abuses of men.
She is also interested in figures of women from real or legendary history such as Cleopatra or Lucretia at the moment of their suicide. She certainly does not identify her fate with Lucretia shown as a matron in an oil on canvas painted around 1620.
Another oil on canvas 133 x 106 cm on the theme of Lucretia is formally attributed to Artemisia in 2015 after being kept since the mid-nineteenth century in an Italian collection. The best connoisseurs of the artist propose a date circa 1640-1645 or slightly earlier. This artwork is estimated € 500K for sale by Dorotheum in Vienna on October 23, lot 56.
The new Lucretia is much younger and dressed in brightly colored drapery. Her extremely dynamic Baroque attitude is very similar to a painting on the same theme made around 1625 by Simon Vouet whom Artemisia had met when they were both in Rome. The dagger is held at arm's length, directed straight to the bare chest in a gesture that leaves no doubt about its fatal outcome.
The image is shared by the auction house in the August 22 press release (Courtesy of Dorotheum). Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
SOLD for € 1.9M including premium
She is also interested in figures of women from real or legendary history such as Cleopatra or Lucretia at the moment of their suicide. She certainly does not identify her fate with Lucretia shown as a matron in an oil on canvas painted around 1620.
Another oil on canvas 133 x 106 cm on the theme of Lucretia is formally attributed to Artemisia in 2015 after being kept since the mid-nineteenth century in an Italian collection. The best connoisseurs of the artist propose a date circa 1640-1645 or slightly earlier. This artwork is estimated € 500K for sale by Dorotheum in Vienna on October 23, lot 56.
The new Lucretia is much younger and dressed in brightly colored drapery. Her extremely dynamic Baroque attitude is very similar to a painting on the same theme made around 1625 by Simon Vouet whom Artemisia had met when they were both in Rome. The dagger is held at arm's length, directed straight to the bare chest in a gesture that leaves no doubt about its fatal outcome.
The image is shared by the auction house in the August 22 press release (Courtesy of Dorotheum). Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
SOLD for € 1.9M including premium
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