Identity signs: meanings and methods in Artemisia Gentileschi's signatures*

Abstract

Artemisia Gentileschi signed nineteen of her approximately forty‐eight extant paintings. She affixed her name in creative ways that reveal her to be a talented manipulator of her image and her identity. By looking at such things as the spelling of her name, its placement, style, and how it is integrated into the painting, we can see how inventively Gentileschi used her signatures. By conscientiously exploiting her name as a pictorial element, Artemisia enriched the meanings of her subjects. She amplified her patrons’ enjoyment of her pictures, furthered her own reputation, and enhanced her prospects for commissions.

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