The naked painting

A painting by a 17th century artist is being prepared and restored for a special exhibition. The female painter Artemisia Gentileschi produced the piece in 1616.

The work, 'Allegory of Inclination', was created to celebrate Michelangelo Buonarroti, Italy's most famous artist. She painted it for his great nephew, to be placed in Michelangelo's former home, in Florence.

The painting shows a naked woman, who's believed to be the 22 year old artist herself. However, 60 years on, the naked image was considered shocking. A second artist then added the light, blue shawl.

Now experts like Elizabeth Wicks are restoring the painting. They've decided to keep the shawl because they're afraid of damaging the work. However, X-rays will be used to show Gentileschi's original.

Elizabeth Wicks: "As we say in Italian "è stato rivoltato come un guanto", it's been turned inside out like a glove with all of the diagnostic techniques possible to understand how the painting was conceived, how it was painted, what happened to it afterwards and to see if we can read beneath the veils of censorship that were added to the painting."

At that time, there were hardly any successful women artists but Gentileschi was a painter of great talent. Due to her skill, she could charge higher fees than others.

Project leader Linda Falcone believes Gentileschi also had a good business mind.

Linda Falcone: "The idea is to create a conversation around art by women, the fact that they were protagonists in their time. They had to be not only great painters but great diplomats. She had to know how to market herself, and that's what she's actually doing with the painting because not only is she tributing Michelangelo but she's saying, 'I as a woman have the inclination to paint'."

She'd like the project to get people talking about the role of women artists.

View Less