Who was Saint Cecilia?

Saint Cecilia was an early Christian martyr executed around 230 AD in Rome. She became the patron saint of music through legends describing her singing to God during her wedding.

What makes Artemisia Gentileschi historically significant?

Artemisia was one of the most accomplished 17th-century painters and the first woman admitted to Florence's art academy. She worked in Caravaggio's dramatic style.

Why is the instrument important in this painting?

Saint Cecilia holds a lute while an organ appears in the background, both instruments associated with the saint's patronage of music. Her upward gaze suggests devotional rather than worldly performance.

Where Is Saint Cecilia? See It at Galleria Spada

Artemisia Gentileschi rendered this Saint Cecilia around 1620, creating a devotional work that has remained in the Spada collection since the seventeenth century. The oil on canvas measures 78.5 by 108 cm and hangs at the Galleria Spada in Rome.

The painting shows a woman in a yellow gown playing a lute, her gaze lifted heavenward. A 1988 cleaning revealed an organ in the background, confirming the subject as Saint Cecilia, patron saint of music. The early Christian martyr, executed around 230 AD in Rome, became associated with musical instruments through medieval legend. Gentileschi depicts her fingers delicately positioned on the strings, suggesting sacred rather than worldly performance.

Artemisia was born in Rome in 1593, daughter of painter Orazio Gentileschi. She worked in the style of Caravaggio, using bold chiaroscuro and dramatic lighting that set her apart from female contemporaries. She became the first woman admitted to Florence's Accademia delle Arti del Disegno and worked for patrons including the Grand Duke of Tuscany and Philip IV of Spain.