Artemesia at The National Gallery, London, is a sensational show. What an artist, what a woman and how committed Artemesia Gentileschi was in pursuing her art and forging an international reputation. Women artists from the 17th Century are rare enough but she is also remarkable for the fortitude with which she confronted appalling abuse as a young woman and followed her own passions to lead a life of freedom to express her artistic ambitions. Her narrative paintings reflect her scorn of abusive men which finds form in images of grisly violence and vengeance.

‘Summer’ Exhibition at the Royal Academy 2020. It’s September and time for… yes, The Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy. Postponed because of the pandemic, this 252nd annual extravaganza of art can finally be viewed. It’s a credit to the dedicated team at the gallery that they have managed to hang the show and present it to the public before the year is done. And what a treat it is to finally view the selected artworks in the the Piccadilly galleries. It’s the usual pick and mix of artworks, some by the great and good from the art world, and others by gifted artists who submitted their work at the start of the year and were lucky enough to be selected for a spot on the wall. Here’s my own pick and mix of the art on show.