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Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting, also known as Autoritratto in veste di Pittura or simply La Pittura, was painted by Italian Baroque artist Artemisia Gentileschi. The artwork was most likely produced during Gentileschi’s stay in England between 1638 and 1639. The scene depicts Gentileschi painting herself, who is in turn represented as the “Allegory of Painting” illustrated by Cesare Ripa. The oil-on-canvas work stands today at 96.5 x 73.7 cm at the Royal Collection in London.

The painting demonstrates rare feminist themes from a time when women seldom held jobs, let alone were well-known for them. Gentileschi’s portrayal of herself as the epitome of the arts is a bold statement to make, especially coming from such an undermined figure considering the historical period. Though the painting is today overshadowed by many of Gentileschi’s other, more dramatic and raw scenes reflecting the artist’s troubling younger years, Self-Portrait was very controversial in its time.

Historical Context
Gentileschi was born in Rome in 1593, right before the Baroque area really began. Gentileschi’s father, Orazio, was also an artist, and Artemisia worked in his workshop for a number of years before creating works herself. In the 1610s, Artemisia was raped and tortured by her artistic mentor, Agostino Tassi, leading to both her new feminist and brutally naturalistic views in the art world. Paintings like Judith Slaying Holofernes and Salome with the Head of St. John the Baptist have thus often overshadowed Self-Portrait due to their shocking subject matters made by a woman from Gentilschi’s time.

Self-Portrait was also largely influenced by the works of Cesare Ripa, most notably his Iconologia, in which he depicts virtues and abstract concepts with human qualities and appearances. “Painting” is described as, “A beautiful woman, with full black hair, disheveled, and twisted in various ways, with arched eyebrows that show imaginative thought, the mouth covered with a cloth tied behind her ears, with a chain of gold at her throat from which hangs a mask, and has written in front "imitation." She holds in her hand a brush, and in the other the palette, with clothes of evanescently covered drapery.” Other than the cloth tied around the mouth, Gentileschi envisions this description in her Self-Portrait accurately.

Description
The complex artwork shows multiple worlds within themselves, as we view a portrait of Gentileschi painting herself in a self-portrait. The composition of the painting mirrors other artworks of the time, using diagonal lines to flaunt the female figure and emphasize her movement both in toward the canvas and out towards the viewers. The use of foreshortening and other three-dimensional techniques not only demonstrate Gentileschi’s talent as an artist, but also bring the viewers into the painting on physical and emotional levels.

Also important to note is the use of lighting in the portrait. The light is clearly coming from the left, but is unique in that the source is not visible and is unusually harsh. The front of Gentileschi’s body is lit perfectly, but her back is shrouded with darkness. Across the forehead and cheeks and down the side of the neck and left shoulder a clear line may be seen, separating the light from the dark. This illuminating technique was used frequently during the Baroque era to add a sense of drama, and may even be labeled as an extreme example of chiaroscuro.

Texture is another important element of Baroque paintings, and Self-Portrait is no exception. The wisps in the disheveled hair, the crinkles in the sleeve with spilled paint cracking near the wrist, and the dirty hands all provide the viewers with a sense of reality and naturalism.

Finally, the color in the portrait is noteworthy, partially due to the lighting and partially due to the natural difference in tones. Whereas the darker clothing and background nearly seem to blend together, the pale skin of the face and right arm jump out immediately. The gold chain near the neck shimmers, while the chain near the chest (ending in a mask pendant) slowly dies down into a lackluster brown.

Interpretation
The primary reason why this painting was so controversial when it was made was for its strong feminist undertones. Because Ripa’s image of “Painting” took the form of a woman, Gentileschi could use the description to her advantage to paint herself in the best light as an artist. While being a female during the Baroque era was largely negative in terms of rights and lifestyle, Gentileschi found this gem in Ideologia to amp up her reputation. Additionally, although many of the idealized figures of women evoked salacious or suggestive ideas during this time, Gentileschi was able to successfully manipulate “Painting” to be empowering (not demeaning) to women.

Unfortunately, Gentileschi’s depiction of herself as the Allegory of Painting has made her seem somewhat egotistical to some critics. Representing oneself as the epitome of an idea is certainly a huge claim, and it may seem that Gentileschi is proclaiming herself as one of the most magnificent artists, though she was still relatively unknown at the time. However, Gentileschi’s portrayal of herself as the Allegory should be looked at as a positive, showing the world what a woman could do, rather than just Gentileschi as an artist.

A final element of Self-Portrait that should be noted is the deep focus and interest that Gentileschi shows in her work. Her dedication and subsequent talent in the arts are reflected by Self-Portrait, at least as Gentileschi paints it.