Self-Portrait

This Self-Portrait from around 1610 at Schloss Weissenstein is among Gentileschi's early works asserting her identity as a professional artist. Self-portraiture by women painters was rare in this period, and Gentileschi's self-representations are important documents of female artistic agency. Artemisia Gentileschi's powerfully direct treatment of female subjects—heroines, saints, and biblical figures depicted with unprecedented psychological force and physical credibility—makes her one of the most significant figures in the Baroque tradition.

The self-portrait shows the young artist with direct, confident gaze. The Caravaggist lighting and naturalistic handling demonstrate her early mastery of the Roman tenebristic style.