A rare self-portrait by the celebrated Italian Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi, created when she was merely twenty years old, is set to go under the hammer at Christie's New York next month. The artwork, which portrays the artist as the fourth-century martyr Saint Catherine of Alexandria, carries a pre-sale estimate of up to $3.5 million (£2.6 million). This auction marks a significant moment for the Old Masters market and for the recognition of a painter whose life and work have garnered immense contemporary interest.
The Artist and Her Enduring Legacy
Artemisia Gentileschi stands as one of the most remarkable figures in art history, achieving fame across seventeenth-century Europe during an era when few female artists received formal acknowledgment. Her life story has captivated scholars and the public as much as her powerful paintings. Trained in Rome under her father, the painter Orazio Gentileschi, she developed her considerable talent in relative seclusion, working in a style contemporaneous with the great Caravaggio.
A Powerful Self-Representation
In the self-portrait to be auctioned, Gentileschi presents herself as Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a depiction she revisited in another painting a year or two later, now housed in London's National Gallery. Both works show her holding a palm frond, a symbol of martyrdom, and wearing a crown, alluding to Catherine's royal lineage. The saint's story, recounted in Jacobus de Voragine's The Golden Legend from around 1259, tells of her successfully defending her faith before fifty philosophers summoned by Emperor Maxentius and converting them all before facing martyrdom.
Letizia Treves, Christie's global head of research and expertise in Old Masters, notes the painting's significance. "By endowing Saint Catherine with her own features, Gentileschi created an intimate union between artist and subject," Treves explained. "Many of Artemisia's paintings feature women from the Bible and ancient history as their main protagonists. Such subjects were by no means unusual at the time, but Artemisia brought a particular realism and psychological depth to her heroines' strength, passion and vulnerability."
A Life of Triumph and Tribulation
Gentileschi's early life was marked by profound trauma. Following a notorious trial in Rome where fellow painter Agostino Tassi was found guilty of raping her but escaped his sentence, she left the city. The case, in which the seventeen-year-old Gentileschi and her father pressed charges, was unprecedented and widely publicised; she endured torture during the seven-month proceedings and was cross-examined by her attacker.
Undeterred, she asserted herself as a formidable artist upon moving to Florence. There, she established her own studio, married the little-known Florentine artist Pierantonio Stiattesi, and gained a measure of independence. She secured commissions from prestigious collectors, including members of the Medici family, and in July 1616, she became the first female member of the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno in Florence.
Rediscovery and Modern Resonance
Despite her accomplishments, Gentileschi's work was frequently misattributed or neglected for centuries. It was not propelled into mainstream art discourse until the 1970s, following the publication of Linda Nochlin's seminal essay, Why Have There Been no Great Women Artists? In recent decades, and particularly in the wake of the MeToo movement, her oeuvre has become a major source of study and fascination. Her life has inspired novels, plays, and films.
Her painting Judith Beheading Holofernes (1612-1613), with its visceral depiction of a woman decapitating a powerful man, has led many to dub her a proto-feminist icon. A landmark exhibition at the National Gallery in 2020 further cemented her place in the public consciousness.
Auction Details and Public Viewing
The self-portrait will be offered during Christie's Classic Week at their New York saleroom on 4 February 2026. It will be on public view from 29 January at the Christie's Rockefeller Center Galleries, offering art enthusiasts a rare opportunity to engage directly with this powerful work by one of history's most courageous and skilled artists.
