Italian Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi (1593–1653) is regarded as someone who not only broke, but shattered, the ‘glass ceiling’ of the male-dominated art world 400 years ago. Now, visitors to Burghley House in Lincolnshire will be able to join her in 17th century Florence in the new VR experience, from 23 July until 10 August, with tickets costing £10 per person.

Narrated by Cerys Matthews, the immersive 14-minute storytelling VR experience - delivered through individual headsets - will transport visitors back in time, revealing the fascinating story of this baroque artist, her resistance to patriarchy and determination in the face of adversity.

Fittingly, Burghley, on the edge of the Georgian stone town of Stamford, is home to one of Artemisia Gentileschi’s iconic artworks, Susanna and the Elders, which is one of the jewels in the House’s extensive collection of paintings. It was painted for an Italian noble, Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi, in 1622 and passed down through his family until its purchase by Brownlow, 9th Earl of Exeter (1725-1793), and brought back to his Burghley home. And while rarely, if ever, on display at Burghley because it is normally on loan to galleries and at major exhibitions worldwide, the painting will make a special appearance for a limited time at the House this summer, with visitors able to see the original painting in the Heaven Room for the duration of the of the VR exhibition.

The story of Artemisia Gentileschi and her role as feminine icon complements Burghley’s 2022 Treasury Exhibition, The Collections of Two Countesses. Offering a different perspective on Burghley’s history, it provides an insight into Anne Cavendish (1649-1703) and Hannah-Sophia Chambers (1702-1765), two highly independent, spirited women with a passion for collecting who left a legacy of treasures for future generations to admire. The Treasury Exhibition is included in a House and Garden ticket, which costs £20 per adult and £9 per child.

For full details, see www.burghley.co.uk