Mary Magdalene

Women's History Month could not be celebrated without Artemisia Lomi Gentileschi's work. Gentileschi is considered among the most accomplished 17th-century artists, initially working in the style of Caravaggio. She was producing professional work by the age of 15. In an era when women had few opportunities to pursue artistic training or work as professional artists, Gentileschi was the first woman to become a member of the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno in Florence and she had an international clientele.

Her achievements as an artist were long overshadowed by the story of Agostino Tassi raping her when she was a young woman and her participation in the trial of her rapist. For many years Gentileschi was regarded as a curiosity, but her life and art have been reexamined by scholars in the 20th and 21st centuries. She is now regarded as one of the most progressive and expressive painters of her generation.

Today we present the painting of Mary Magdalene. The figure is portrayed in a gown of yellow silk, pushing away a mirror (a symbol of vanity) inscribed with the words Optimam partem elegit (“you have chosen the best part”). The quote is derived from the Bible, in which Jesus teaches Martha that her sister Mary has made a better choice in embracing a spiritual life—a quote highly relevant to the subject. The work is signed "Artimisia Lomi" on the wooden upright of the chair, although this signature may be that of a later hand. The painting is constructed from three pieces of canvas, with the strip running down the left side (which includes the chair upon which the signature is found), a possible later addition. 

P.S. Read more about Gentileschi's survivor story and how she dealt with the rape through her art.

P.P.S. Artemisia is one of the artists featured in the DailyArt Women History Notebook, which you can buy in the DailyArt Shop. Check it out!