Woman Playing a Guitar (1618) Simon Vouet. This was painted while Simon was in Rome and exploring Caravaggism. The dramatic lighting, dark
color palette and extreme naturalism are traits of the followers of Caravaggio immediately after his death in 1610. Who is the woman playing the guitar? Perhaps Artemisia Gentileschi or Vouet’s wife Virginia da Vezzo? While both Artemisia and Vouet were in Rome during this time and were acquaintances, we don’t have any evidence that he actually painted her. As for his wife,
Vouet did paint her several times while in Rome, but her appearance does not match the model for this painting. Unfortunately, we do not know the identity of the woman.