‘Portrait of a seated lady, three-quarter length, in an elaborate and gold-embroidered costume, possibly Caterina Savelli, Principessa di Albano’ by Artemisia Gentileschi will be up for auction on January 27. — Picture courtesy of Sotheby’s via ETX Studio
LONDON, Jan 27 — For several years now, works by Artemisia Gentileschi have been particularly sought after on the art market. Two of them will be auctioned on January 27, at a major Sotheby’s sale dedicated to Old Masters.
Among them is Portrait of a seated lady, three-quarter length, in an elaborate and gold-embroidered costume, possibly Caterina Savelli, Principessa di Albano. This painting was executed in the 1620s, just after the Italian artist left Florence for Rome. It depicts Caterina Savelli, a young woman from the Genoese nobility.
This painting can be compared with two other portraits by the artist, Portrait of a Lady with a Fan and Portrait of a Gonfaloniere, which is kept at the Palazzo d’Accursio in Bologna. It is estimated at between US$2 million and US$3 million (RM8 million and RM12 million).
Susanna and the Elders will also be offered for sale at Sotheby’s on January 27. This painting, estimated at US$1.8 million to US$2.5 million, depicts a biblical scene in which Susanna is confronted with the inappropriate advances of two old men while bathing.
This story resonates with the story of Artemisia Gentileschi as she herself was raped by Agostino Tassi, her private tutor, at the age of 17. A long trial followed, during which the artist underwent a humiliating gynecological examination and was tortured to prove the truth of her accusations.
EUR4.8 million for a painting by Artemisia Gentileschi
These two paintings by Artemisia Gentileschi come from the personal collection of Syrian-Brazilian banker Jacob E. Safra. They have not appeared on the market since the 1990s. According to Artnews, the businessman acquired them at the time for a few hundred thousand dollars.
But much has changed in recent years, and works by Artemisia Gentileschi now often sell for seven figures. The reason? Their rarity. Only 40 paintings by the Italian painter are kept in international museums such as the National Gallery in London.
The record for a work by Artemisia Gentileschi is EUR4.8 million (RM22 million). It was set in 2019 following the well-attended sale of Lucretia at Artcurial in Paris. A huge success for the Old Masters, and more particularly Artemisia Gentileschi. Although she had a brilliant international career during the Italian Renaissance, she fell into oblivion for nearly two centuries. It was not until the beginning of the 20th century that the eminent art historian Roberto Longhi rediscovered her, and she was rehabilitated as a feminist icon. — ETX Studio