Allegory of Inclination is a 1615-1617 oil on canvas painting by Artemisia Gentileschi on the ceiling of the Galleria in the Casa Buonarroti, in Florence. The painting depicts a young nude female seated in the heavens holding a compass. Her light-colored hair is elaborately styled and she is partially covered by swirling drapery (added later by another hand). A star appears above her head. The figure's features are similar to those in self-portraits in Gentileschi's work. The facial design, wispy hair and dimpled hands are characteristic of other paintings she created during her time in Florence. The figure was painted as nude; the nudity embarrassed the commissioner's great-nephew Leonardo da Buonarroto, and he commissioned Baldassare Franceschini to paint swirling veils and drapery over parts of it in 1684. As of November 2022, the painting is being restored. It will not be possible to physically remove the added drapery without damaging the work, so the restorers plan to create a digital replica of the original version "using ultraviolet light, diagnostic imaging and X-rays to differentiate Gentileschi's brush strokes from those of the artist covered the nudity. The six-month project will clean and virtually "unveil" the portrait as part of the Florence Academy of Art's "Artemisia Up Close" project. The restoration team plans to display the image in an exhibition next September.The head of the Artemisia project is Elizabeth Wicks.
Advancing Women Artists Foundation (AWA)The self-description and mission statement of the AWA:
The website is extensive and well-done and has detailed biographies of 22 women (with samples of their work) from the period of the Florentine Renaissance into the 20th century.The Advancing Women Artists Foundation (AWA) is an American not-for-profit organization with headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Florence, Italy. AWA is committed to identifying and restoring artwork by Florence's female artists in the city’s museums, churches, and storage facilities. The foundation achieves its mission through sponsoring restoration of artwork, and promoting research on female artists. As of 2018, AWA has restored 61 paintings and sculptures from the 15th century to the 20th century. Myriad paintings and sculptures by ground-breaking women artists have been overlooked for centuries and many works are currently in need of restoration. Compelling artistic treasures continue to be a silent, undiscovered part of the city’s creative heritage.Through education (lectures, books, seminars, and conferences) and by exhibiting these works in Florence and abroad, we can show this vital cultural legacy and its importance in Florence, in Italy and in the world.
This is their website available in both English and Italian with a single click.
AWA photo snip, above, is by Francesco Cacchiani/AWA