London's National Gallery has acquired a recently rediscovered self-portrait by Artemisia Gentileschi, 'Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria' (c. 1615–17), for £3.6 million ($4.7 million). The painting was purchased from a London dealer who had secured it at a Paris auction in December, where it set a new auction record for the artist. The acquisition marks a significant addition to the museum's holdings, as it is only the 21st work by a female artist in its collection of over 2,300 pieces.
The purchase is a landmark moment for the National Gallery, fulfilling a long-held goal to increase its representation of important women artists. Gentileschi is recognized as a pioneering and expressive Baroque painter whose work has often been overshadowed by the traumatic events of her life, including a highly publicized rape trial. The self-portrait, which depicts the artist as the martyred Saint Catherine, carries profound autobiographical and art-historical significance. After restoration, the painting will go on public display, enhancing the UK's limited holdings of Gentileschi's easel paintings.