Salvator Rosa (1615-1673), Attributed to - Sant’Onofrio

Attributed to Salvator Rosa
Naples, 1615 – Rome, 1673
Sant’Onofrio
Oil on canvas, 45 x 40 cm
Frame size cm. 65 x 60 x 6 approx.


NOTE: Hampel, Monaco, from September 25, 2025, 207, attributed to Salvator Rosa (Naples, 1615 – Rome, 1673). Publication of the collection catalog of Intermidiart. Certificate of Guarantee and Lawful Provenance. Artwork with gilded and worked frame (defects):

The painting presents a wide spatiality despite its modest size and develops vertically. Although the religious element is important, the nature depicted in the foreground captures attention due to the precision and realism with which it was painted. The scene depicts an episode from the life of Saint Onuphrius, who lived around the 4th century and is mainly known for his life as a hermit in the Egyptian desert. According to hagiographic tradition, his existence was revealed to a monk named Paphnutius, who, guided by a deer, encountered him in a remote area of the desert. Saint Onuphrius lived in complete solitude for many years, wearing only tufts of grass, feeding on dates, and praying incessantly. He died the day after meeting Paphnutius, who then spread the story of his life and sainthood. Saint Onuphrius is often depicted with a long beard and hair covered with leaves, symbolizing his ascetic life. He is venerated as the protector of soldiers, orphans, and is considered an intercessor for finding lost objects. His liturgical feast day is celebrated on June 12. The spread of his cult in the West is attributed to Benedictine monks who brought his relics to Italy.
In the painting, the Saint is depicted as a mature, bearded man with a full figure, shown with a nude body wearing a leaf loincloth, as he prepares to walk in a scene that features a landscape with rocks and trees, while holding a rosary crown in his hand.
Despite some restorations, the painting still shows its expressive quality, with a Caravaggesque and naturalistic character that suggests attribution to a talented southern painter active in Naples.
The examined canvas, attributed to Salvator Rosa (Naples, 1615 – Rome, 1673) by Neapolitan historian Stefano Causa, could be placed in the period when the influence of Neapolitan naturalism was still predominant. The painting depicts a countryside landscape scene, with a rocky promontory and trees framing the background behind the figure of the Saint.
The overall character of the work indeed features quick touches and a vigorous emphasis typical of Salvator Rosa and his workshop. The style is sharp, with a new landscape approach and intense chiaroscuro, characterized by skies dense with clouds and a leaden chromatic palette.
Salvator Rosa was born in Naples, where he received a solid education. In 1629, we find him enrolled as a novice at the Pious Schools of Padre Calasanzio, whom he left in 1631 to continue his artistic training with the still young Francesco Fracanzano (Monopoli, 1612; Naples, 1656). The partnership with the Apulian painter, whose collaboration with Giuseppe Ribera is well documented, was crucial and gave him the opportunity to attend not only the studio of the renowned Iberian-born artist but also the most advanced intellectual circles of the time. Highlighting Rosa's Neapolitan roots, therefore, is not just about emphasizing a biographical fact but also about defining his character and the development of a specific stylistic and cultural line.
Professor Causa, in his 2009 book 'Better to Keep Silent. Salvator Rosa and the Discomforts of Criticism,' wrote: 'If he could have been given an epithet in the grammar of studies, it would be 'unlikable'; Salvator Rosa, born in Naples in 1615 and died in Rome in '73, is one of the most unlikable artists that exists. He is many things: draftsman and engraver; painter of landscapes and stories, reader of rare texts, poet and brooding polygraph, born under Saturn; opportunistic jester and great traveler. The rich correspondence that has been preserved qualifies him as a multifaceted genius, at risk of dissipation. In short: one must reckon with an imposing character. In his self-portrait at the National Gallery in London, he presents himself as an ancient intellectual: unkempt beard, long hair, and a floppy hat, shaped against a sky background, dull as his expression. Nothing reveals his main profession as a painter; the only deliberately disorienting information comes from the Latin inscription on the folder he rests on: 'aut tace aut loquere meliora silentio.' Either be silent or say better things than silence.
Regarding its conservation status, the canvas appears generally in decent condition considering the age of the painting. The painted surface shows a patina and does not exhibit reading difficulties. The support has been relined. Under Wood light, some small scattered restorations and slight veiling and oxidation of the painted surface are visible, but nothing truly significant. Under sunlight, fine craquelure typical of the period can be seen. The dimensions of the canvas are 45 x 40 cm.
The painting is enhanced by a beautiful, ornate gold frame, which has a significant decorative effect (the frame measures approximately 65 x 60 x 6 cm, with some defects). The frame shown in the photos above was added to the artwork by the seller or a third party. The frame is provided to you at no additional cost so that it is ready for display upon arrival. The frame is included as a courtesy and is not considered an integral part of the artwork. Therefore, any potential damage to the frame that does not affect the artwork itself will not be accepted as a valid reason to open a complaint or request order cancellation.

Provenance: private collection

Publication
Unpublished
Myths and the Territory in Sicily with a thousand cultures. UNPUBLISHED QUADRERIA, general catalog of the paintings from the collection of the cycle 'Myths and the Territory,' Publisher Lab_04, Marsala, 2025.

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