Artemisia

The new exhibition at the Musée Jacquemart-André highlights the life and work of the Roman artist Artemisia Gentileschi (1593 - circa 1656), an exceptional artist and woman, renowned for her talent and resilience in a world dominated by men.

A character with an extraordinary destiny, this protagonist of Caravaggesque painting is one of the rare female artists of the modern era to have achieved international fame during her lifetime and to have been able to make a living from her painting. Forgotten towards the end of the eighteenth century, she was rediscovered in the twentieth century and is now considered one of the major figures in the history of seventeenth-century art.

The exhibition at the Musée Jacquemart-André presents some fifty of her works, including recognised masterpieces, recently attributed canvases and rarely exhibited paintings.

An artist with an extraordinary destiny

Eldest of the six children of Orazio Gentileschi de Lomi, a painter from Pisa, Artemisia showed a singular talent for painting from an early age. As an adult, she enjoyed a brilliant career, travelling all over Europe until she reached the court of Charles I of England, where she joined her father in 1638.

Her initial training under her father, fundamental to understanding her art, and the powerful impact of Caravaggio are highlighted by exceptional loans, including the imposing Suzanne and the Elders, her first work to be signed and dated. Her talent as a portraitist, praised by her contemporaries, is also a focal point of the exhibition, which presents a series of portraits, including the famous Lute Player, a self-portrait in which the artist plays with her own image. Her work is highly original, with dramatic effects and theatrical settings that make the paintings particularly striking.

An inspiring journey

The exhibition goes beyond simply showing Artemisia's works. It also tells her personal story, marked by trials and triumphs.

A victim of violence in her youth, Artemisia often depicted strong, resilient women in her paintings, making her art a reflection of her experiences and her struggle against adversity. Artemisia's story spans the centuries, and the interpretation of her work is timeless and universal.

Experience other cultural emotions in the Paris Region.