After being severely damaged in the 2020 Beirut explosion, Hercules and Omphale, a 17th-century oil painting by Artemisia Gentileschi, has been restored and is now publicly exhibited for the first time at the Getty Center in Los Angeles. The blast shattered glass through the canvas, leaving large tears and debris embedded in the artwork, including a major rupture through Hercules&rsquo knee. Getty conservator Ulrich Birkmaier led a multi-year restoration effort, calling it the most extensive damage he had ever encountered.

Originally hanging in Beirut&rsquos historic Sursock Palace, the painting had remained in private collections for centuries and was only recently attributed to Gentileschi, a rare celebrated female artist of the Baroque era. Known for empowering her mythological and Biblical heroines, Gentileschi depicted the myth of Hercules serving Omphale with emotional depth and subverted gender roles. Her expressive use of fabric, gesture, and light shines through the restored composition.A detail of Cupid&rsquos face in &ldquoHercules and Omphale.&rdquo Gentileschi&rsquos take on &ldquoHercules and Omphale&rdquo is emotionally charged as the titular pair fall in love. Cassia Davis/J. Paul Getty Trust

Advanced imaging tools like X-rays and pigment mapping revealed how Gentileschi revised the work during its creation. While some scars from the explosion remain visible, the restoration brought the piece back to life. Experts believe more of her lost works may still be hidden in storage or private hands, waiting for rediscovery-continuing Gentileschi&rsquos modern-day renaissance.