A rt historian Andrew Graham-Dixon and Sotheby’s specialist George Gordon delve into the work of two extraordinary fema꧅le Baroque painters, Artemisia Gentil♏eschi and Clara Peeters.
Gentileschi’s dramatic David and Goliath captures the moment after victory, with David exuding youthful confidence and pride as he sits over the severed h𒀰ead of Goliath. The paint𒈔ing is a masterclass in light, shadow, and psychological nuance, from the intricately foreshortened limbs and billowing sleeves to the tension between David’s heroic pose and the brutal evidence of violence at his feet.
Clara Peeters’ rarely seen still life, painted arou𝔉nd 1610, offers something even more unusual—a fully realised self-portrait embedded within an exquisite arrangement of objects and flowers. Known for her meticulous technique and reflective goblets containing miniature self-images, this work stands out as the only secular self-portrait in her known oeuvre. Peeters’ composition reveals not just technical brilliance but a conscious act of self-presentation, making a bold claim for her place in the artistic canon.
Both works are highlights of the Old Master and 19th Century Paintings E𒆙vening Auction taking place at Sotheby’s London on 2 July.
