31/12/2001
by Alex Kearney

The first major traveling exhibition of the paintings by Orazio Gentileschi (Pisa, 1563 - London, 1639) and his daughter, Artemisia (Rome, 1593 – Naples, 1653) is being keenly watched by auction houses and collectors. The show, “Orazio and Artemisia Gentileschi – Father and Daughter Painters in Baroque Italy”, which opened at Palazzo Venezia in Rome last October, will go on to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (14th of February-12th of May 2002) and then to the St. Louis Museum of Art, (June-Sept 2002). Both painters were distinguished followers of Caravaggio, yet while Orazio developed a refined and luxurious version of the master’s style, Artemisia was drawn to its more gruesome extremes. So far, the market has favored the decorative Orazio over the brooding Artemisia.

On the 6th of July 2000, Orazio’s The Holy Family with the Infant St John the Baptist in a Landscape (oil on copper, 56.7 x 42.6 cm) went for a formidable hammer price of $ 3,183,500 (€ 3,541,900) against an estimate of $ 2,167,100-2,889,200 (€ 2,411,000-3,214,300) at a Sotheby’s auction in London. The work had been earmarked for the current exhibition before the auction, a move that can hardly have harmed its prospects. However, Orazio’s best performance over the last ten years has been The Finding of Moses, a large oil (310 x 257 cm) which hammered for $ 6,644,800 (€ 7,392,300) at the same auction house on the 6th of December 1995. Though only 80 or so autograph Orazio’s are believed to exist, many of these are actually copies he made after his own work, some of which are reckoned superior to their originals. Nonetheless, the quality and prices of attributed works varies considerably, as demonstrated by a relatively undistinguished Madonna and Child (oil on canvas, 106.7 x 101.6 cm) which easily topped its somewhat modest estimate of $ 43,300-57,700 (€ 48,200-64,300) when it sold for $ 72,900 (€ 81,200) at Christie’s, London on the 3rd of November 2000. In contrast an overrated Judith and Her Maidservant with the Head of Holofernes (oil on canvas, 131 x 100 cm) was withdrawn after it failed to make its estimate of $150,000-$200,000 (€ 167,100-222,800) at Sotheby’s, New York on the 15th of January 1993. A change of auction house and continent brought a more realistic estimate of $ 57,700-86,600 (€ 64,300-96,400) from Christie’s, London on the 8th of December 1995, with the painting finally hammering for $ 75,100 (€ 83,600).

Despite Artemisia’s status as the first heroine of 17th century painting, her highest prices have yet to match her father’s best. That however may all be about to change as market interest warms up. On the 9th of July 1998, A Portrait of a Woman Playing the Lute; Possibly a Self-Portrait (oil on canvas, 80 x 69 cm) nearly trebled its estimate ($ 144,400-216,500, € 160,700-241,100) to hammer for $ 548,500 (€ 610,800) at Sotheby’s, London. The same auction house posted an even better performance on the 6th of December 1995 when Susannah and the Elders (oil on canvas, 265 x 210 cm) hammered for $ 252,600 (€ 281,300) against an estimate of $ 43,300-57,700 (€ 48,200-64,300). Bidders were evidently not deterred by the collaboration of two other artists, Micco Spadaro and Viviano Codazzi, in the execution of the painting. Even the slightly stiff Portrait of a Lady, Three-quarter length seated (oil on canvas, 128 x 96 cm) easily beat its estimate ($ 115,500-173,200, € 128,600-192,900) when it sold for $ 202,100 (€ 225,100) at Sotheby’s, London on the 8th of July 1999.

It is arguable that Artimesia has yet to realize her full market potential, since few of her auctioned paintings can rival those in museum collections. If, for instance, a particularly fine example of one of her favorite themes, Judith and Holofernes, were to come up for auction, museums and galleries would undoubtedly scramble to be first in line, probably making figures not yet seen for the artist.

Relatively few copies of Artemisia’s work have emerged and her position as a female artist probably denied her a greater following in her own time. Copyists and followers of Orazio have done well recently, but ambitious estimates are likely to be disappointed. A ‘School of Orazio’ Portrait of a Lady Playing the Lute (oil on canvas, 140 x 132 cm) failed to sell at Sotheby’s, London on the 29th of October 1998, its initial estimate of $ 14,400-21,600 (€ 16,100-24,100) was subsequently nearly halved by Sotheby’s and the work then sold for $ 11,500 (€ 12,900) on the 15th of April 1999.

Those planning to sell their works by Orazio and Artemisia may do well to hold off until after the joint exhibition has opened at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Maximum visibility is surely guaranteed.