FORBES: 350 Years Ago, A ‘Naughty’ Female Nude Got Painted Over. Tech Just Undressed It.

by Leslies Katz, Oct 25, 2023

Olga Makarova and Calliope Arts Archive

In the late 17th century, an Italian aristocrat scandalized by a portrait of a nude woman insisted her body be painted over with strategically placed veils and draperies. Thanks to digital imaging and other modern tools, art lovers can now peek under the swirling fabric to view the original baroque painting, bare breasts and all.

Artemisia Gentileschi’s 1616 oil on canvas “Allegory of Inclination” depicts a naked young woman sitting atop a fluff of clouds and holding a compass, with a star as her guide. The restored version appears in Artemisia in the Museum of Michelangelo, an exhibit in Florence, Italy, on display through January 8 at Casa Buonarroti, once Michelangelo’s home and now a museum and monument to the Renaissance master’s life and work. FOR MORE.