Unveiled: First-of-its-kind replica of self portrait by pioneering female artist
Friday 2 September 2022
St Catharine’s has unveiled a full-size replica of a celebrated oil painting by one of the most important artists of the 17th-century: Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria was painted by Artemisia Gentileschi (1593–1654, or later) in Florence around 1615–17 and is now owned by the National Gallery, London.
In a first for the National Gallery, the original artwork and the accompanying 17th-century frame have been reproduced to an exceptionally high standard using a combination of innovative technology and traditional methods:
Six colour proofs of increasing quality were created during the reproduction process, using a specialist flatbed printer and an X-rite Exact Spectrophotometer to capture the hue, value and chroma of the original painting’s colours.
The National Gallery’s framing team sourced Lombard Poplar wood, which was worked with traditional moulding planes and treated with Gesso di Bologna, red bole, casein paint and gold leaf applied with traditional mordant gilding.
Reproducing the frame with traditional methods in the National Gallery workshop
The reproduction was kindly commissioned as a gift to St Catharine’s by alumnus Garrett Curran (1991, Law). It took eight months for a team of experts to create the replica, which will hang in pride of place above the altar in the St Catharine’s College Chapel, in the heart of Cambridge city centre.
Professor Sir Mark Welland (2016), Master of St Catharine’s, commented, “St Catharine’s is honoured to accept this exquisite reproduction, which will hang in a prominent position above the altar of our Chapel. This gift is especially meaningful for us because Artemisia Gentileschi chose to present herself as our patron saint, who continues to be venerated by not only scholars but also women and girls facing violence and persecution – a cause that is close to our hearts as demonstrated by the College’s ongoing partnership with Cambridge Women’s Aid. Considering the trauma and difficulties that the artist is renowned for overcoming, we will cherish this opportunity to marvel at her rare talent and resilience some 400 years on.”
Students admiring the reproduction of Artemisia Gentileschi's Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria in the College's Chapel
At the age of 17, Artemisia was raped by fellow artist Agostino Tassi. After a lengthy trial, at which she famously testified and endured physical torture, Tassi was convicted. In Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Artemisia deliberately chose to use her own likeness and is seen leaning on a broken wheel that was used as an instrument of the saint’s torture. Foreshadowing the saint’s martyrdom, a palm front is held as if it were a paintbrush, further emphasising the connection between the painter and her subject.
Dr Gabriele Finaldi, Director of the National Gallery, added, “Since we acquired Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria, we have been eager to share this extraordinary work of art with a broader audience at the National Gallery itself and other locations through loans and tours. We were delighted to be approached to help create this first-of-its-kind replica for the enjoyment of the St Catharine’s community in Cambridge – it is clear that the College shares our high regard for the original artwork, and it has proven to be a hugely supportive partner over the last eight months."
Gyr King, co-founder of King & McGaw, said, “Being entrusted with creating as perfect a replica as possible of this seminal painting was an experience that we found exciting and challenging. The look and feel of the original painting at the National Gallery required sensitive adjustment and balance between digital science and human interpretation. We hope that the final result reflects this, as we have strived to engender similar emotions that a viewer would feel when viewing the original. We have very much appreciated the help, understanding and enthusiasm of all concerned during the creative process.”
The College’s collection includes other representations of its patron saint, but none as celebrated as the original oil painting by Artemisia Gentileschi. The new replica will replace a smaller oil painting of a portrait of the saint by an unknown artist (traced to the North of Italy, to about 1700), which will be moved from its position above the altar in the Chapel to the College’s Senior Common Room, a popular space for meetings and external events.
Comparing the reproduction canvas with the original Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria by Artemisia Gentileschi
Reproduction of Artemisia Gentileschi's Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria above the altar in the Chapel at St Catharine's College
Reactions from the St Catharine’s community
Garrett Curran, donor: “It has been a great privilege to facilitate this collaboration between the National Gallery and St Catharine’s College to bring this stunning replica of one of Artemesia Gentileschi’s most important and iconic paintings to Cambridge so that we may continue to broaden appreciation for her art, her suffering and her exceptional life story.”
The Rev’d Ally Barrett (2019), Dean of Chapel at St Catharine’s: “As a self portrait, or self-representation, this painting looks squarely back at us as the viewer and challenges us to 'put ourselves in the picture', to consider our own story within the bigger stories of our community, faith, tradition or culture. By asking us to reflect on who we are and to empathise with the persecuted, I have no doubt that it will support meaningful reflection and worship in the College chapel by its many visitors."
Dr Colin Higgins (2018), Librarian and Custodian of Works of Art at St Catharine’s: “While our collection includes some special pieces by renowned artists, the majority of artworks are cherished simply because they remind us of how St Catharine’s has developed over time or because they are associated with our former Fellows, benefactors and alumni who are remembered fondly. This important reproduction forms part of a new chapter for the College that will see a more diverse range of art, artists and subjects celebrated through our collection.”
Nadia Lines, third-year undergraduate English student at St Catharine’s: “It is so special to have this incredible replica at St Catharine’s. It is not only a reminder of the barriers women have faced and continue to face in accessing opportunities, including education, around the world, but it is also a testament to our ability to push forward and create great art in the face of injustice.”
Frey Kalus, PhD student in German and Italian at St Catharine’s: “I remember visiting the National Gallery’s 2020 exhibition dedicated to Artemisia Gentileschi and I was particularly struck by this self portrait, due both to the connection with my college, and to the ways in which the artist’s experiences as a woman in the Italian Renaissance resonate with those of a radical female intellectual in 4th-century Egypt. As a student of Italian, I have been fortunate to study Artemisia at Cambridge alongside a number of female poets, artists and thinkers, whose works have long been undervalued due to historic prejudice. It is wonderful that such a beautiful painting by and of a woman is being displayed in the College Chapel, a place where I have sung regularly since I started here as a student. The portrait reminds us of the truly radical nature of our namesake and encourages us to treasure the values of intellectual freedom, integrity and feminism.”
