Thanks to a donation from the Ny Carlsberg Foundation and the Aage and Johanne Louis-Hansen Foundation, the Nivaagaards Malerisamling (Nivaagaard Painting Collection) in Copenhagen has enriched its holdings with a work by Artemisia Gentileschi with the subject Susanna and the Old Men (1644-1648). This is the most significant acquisition since 1908, when Johannes Hage donated his collection to the museum.
The Nivaagaards Malerisamling is the first museum in Denmark to acquire a large-scale work by Artemisia Gentileschi. Created between 1644 and 1648, the painting depicts the biblical episode of Susanna and the Old Men in a version belonging to the painter’s late phase. This theme recurs several times in her production: in fact, it was the protagonist of both her first known work, created when she was only 17 years old, and her last known composition before her death.
This particular version of Susanna and the Old Men differs from other famous depictions of the same subject. In many of them, Susanna appears with her back turned or in a theatrical pose; here, however, the half-naked young woman, who occupies the center of the scene, drapes one breast as she turns her gaze toward one of the old men behind her, revealing all the psychological tension of the scene. The life-size figures (the painting measures two meters in height) accentuate the viewer’s emotional involvement.
The painting Susanna and the Old Men (1644-48) by Artemisia Gentileschi is now on display in the museum’s new exhibit, reflecting an acquisition made possible through the generosity of the Ny Carlsberg Foundation and the Aage and Johanne Louis-Hansen Foundation.
The Nivaagaard Collection already has a painting by Sofonisba Anguissola and, as of 2022, also a work attributed to her sister Europa Anguissola. In addition, in 2025 the museum acquired two floral still lifes by Flemish painter Catharina Ykens II, dating from around 1688. The arrival of Artemisia’s painting not only enriches the section devoted to 17th-century Italian art, but also creates an important link between Mannerist and Baroque works, allowing us to illustrate the stylistic transition experienced by Italy between the 16th and 17th centuries.
Until 2022, in fact, Sofonisba Anguissola was the only female artist in the museum’s collection dedicated to the Italian Renaissance, Dutch Baroque, and Danish 19th century. The acquisition of Artemisia Gentileschi ’s work is the best possible addition to the museum’s collection.
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| Denmark, Nivaagaard Collection acquires a Susanna and the Old Men by Artemisia Gentileschi |
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