A previously unknown painting by Artemisia Gentileschi, *Hercules and Omphale* (ca. 1635–37), was identified after being damaged in the 2020 Beirut port explosion. The work, which hung in Beirut’s Sursock Palace, underwent a three-year conservation at the J. Paul Getty Museum and is now on view at the Columbus Museum of Art in the exhibition *Artemisia Gentileschi: Naples to Beirut*. It depicts the Greek myth of Queen Omphale enslaving Hercules, a rare subject for Gentileschi that subverts traditional gender roles.
This discovery matters because it adds a significant, previously undocumented work to Gentileschi’s oeuvre, expanding understanding of her later career in Naples. The painting’s survival and restoration also highlight the cultural losses from the Beirut explosion and the importance of international conservation efforts. Its unusual portrayal of a gentle Hercules and dominant Omphale challenges art historical conventions, offering fresh insight into how Gentileschi treated themes of power and gender.