Artemisia Gentileschi
Italy, 1593–1653

Born in Rome in 1593 and died in Naples in 1652/3, Artemisia Gentileschi (ar-tay-
mee-zee-ah jen-tay-les-kee) was the first Italian woman whose artistic
achievements were not only praised by her contemporaries but influenced the work
of other artists.

Early on, she established herself as an ambitious history painter. She learned most
of the craft of painting from her father. She created her first signed and dated
painting when she was 17. Her paintings often contained themes from the woman’s
viewpoint. In 1616, she became the first woman artist to join the Accademia de
Disegno. She played a significant role in bringing Caravaggio’s style to Florence,
Genoa, and Naples.