Painting Found Among the 2020 Beirut Explosion Attributed to Artemisia Gentileschi

In August 2020, a port area of Beirut experienced a horrible and deadly explosion that damaged a diverse array of paintings and antiques. However, one anonymous painting that was impaled by shards of glass resulted in an extraordinary discovery.

Officially declared by experts, the anonymous painting is from one the greatest 17th-century Italian painters, Artemisia Gentileschi. Known for portraying strong women from biblical and mythological scenes, this significant painting showcases Hercules and Omphale. With this addition, there are a total of 61 paintings that exist by Gentileschi.

With the heavily dominated art space, Artemisia was one of the very few women who were able to succeed and pave the way in the 19070s. Consider by many as a feminist hero, the Getty Museum’s senior, Davide Gasparotto, described her work as “a very powerful, convincing painting — one of her most ambitious in terms of size and the complexity of the figures.”

With this newly discovered piece, Artemisia paints a switch of gender roles through an interaction between Hercules and Omphale. Her playful approach displays Hercules holding, what was back then considered, woman’s tools. Therefore, instead of his usual demeanor and club, he is shown almost naked and a salve to Omphale. Her approach is truly recognized as one of a kind “as [it emerged as a] stunning example of Artemisia’s mature genius.”

While the painting is in terrible condition, Getty’s senior paintings conservator, Ulrich Birkmaier, and his team have begun the restoration process. The biggest of challenges will be tackling the 20-inch tear near Hercules’s knee. Artemisia’s artwork will also be put through a long cleaning process to remove any unwanted layers of debris. Those at the Getty Museum hope to display the painting by 2024 to hang alongside her other remarkable works.

-Esther Marcos