Artemisia postponed
16 March 2020
Due to circumstances beyond our control, the National Gallery has been obliged to postpone the forthcoming Artemisia exhibition.
Current global travel restrictions mean we are unable to proceed with opening the exhibition on 4 April as originally planned.
Naturally, we are all very disappointed about this delay, but it is sadly unavoidable.
We hope to open 'Artemisia' as soon as possible, but due to the rapidly changing worldwide situation, we cannot currently give a specific date.
Dr Gabriele Finaldi, Director of the National Gallery, says:
“This was a tough decision for us to take. For logistical and organizational reasons connected with the Coronavirus outbreak, we have had to postpone the show. This is unprecedented for the National Gallery, but in these difficult circumstances, it is the right decision. We’d like to thank all our lenders, our sponsor and supporters for being so understanding and supportive of our decision. This is just a temporary postponement, and we look forward to being able to celebrate the astounding artistic achievements of Artemisia Gentileschi with everyone as soon as we possibly can.”
If you have already purchased a ticket for Artemisia, then we will be in touch with you.
Exhibition sponsored by
Supported by
J Paul Getty Jr Charitable Trust
Katrin Henkel
And other donors
NOTES TO EDITORS
About the exhibition
For the first time in the UK, a major monographic exhibition will explore the work of Artemisia Gentileschi (1593–1654 or later).
The inspiration for this exhibition is the National Gallery’s recent acquisition of Artemisia Gentileschi’s 'Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria' (about 1615–17), the first painting by the artist to enter a UK public collection.
At a time when women artists were not easily accepted, Artemisia Gentileschi was exceptional. Her career spanned more than 40 years and she gained fame and admiration across Europe, counting leading rulers among her patrons. She was the first woman to gain membership to the artists’ academy in Florence.
Although Artemisia was greatly admired during her lifetime, she was essentially rediscovered in the 20th century. Certain elements of her biography – particularly her rape as a young woman and the torture she endured during the trial that followed – have sometimes overshadowed discussions about her artistic achievements, but today she is recognised as one of the most gifted painters of the Italian Baroque period. Her art and life continue to inspire novels, films, documentaries, musical and theatrical productions.
Artemisia will present a highly selective survey of the artist’s career, bringing together around thirty of her works from both public institutions and private collections around the world - the majority of the loans in the exhibition have never been seen in the UK before.
For further information, please contact the National Gallery Press Office on 020 7747 2865 or email: press@ng-london.org.uk
Publicity images can be obtained from https://press.nationalgallery.org.uk