Newly discovered Artemisia Gentileschi painting identified in Italian private collection
An autograph piece by Artemisia Gentileschi (Rome, 1593 – Naples, 1653), previously unknown, has been found in a private collection in Italy. This artwork, acquired from an aristocratic family in Turin, was simply categorized as a "17th-century work." According to art historian Delia Somma, it likely originated in the early 1600s during Gentileschi's initial Neapolitan phase, illustrating Mary Magdalene in a state of ecstasy, distinct from traditional representations as she does not appear penitent. The piece is believed to have been created in the early 1620s when Gentileschi was in demand in Rome and varies from a version at Palazzo Ducale in Venice primarily in the color of the garments. X-ray examinations uncovered a putto's face beneath the artwork. Somma detailed her research in "L'estasi di Artemisia Gentileschi."
Key facts
- New autograph painting by Artemisia Gentileschi discovered in Italian private collection
- Work acquired from a noble Turin family, previously inventoried as generic 17th-century piece
- Attributed by art historian Delia Somma after historical, scientific, iconographic, and stylistic analysis
- Dated to early Neapolitan period (first half of 1600s) based on Naples yellow pigment traces
- Depicts Mary Magdalene in ecstasy, not penitent, with head tilted back and eyes closed
- Differing from the Palazzo Ducale version in garment color, a known variation in Artemisia's practice
- X-rays revealed a putto's face on reused canvas, suggesting a larger original composition
- Delia Somma published research in book 'L'estasi di Artemisia Gentileschi, indagine storico scientifica di un'opera inedita'
Entities
Artists
- Artemisia Gentileschi
- Orazio Gentileschi
- Delia Somma
- Valentina Muzi
Institutions
- Palazzo Ducale di Venezia
- Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia
- Artribune
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Naples
- Turin
- Venice