Scuola napoletana (XVII) - Martirio di San Bartolomeo - XL format
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Current bid
€ 180
Reserve price not met
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Selected by Giulia Santoro
Specialised in 17th century Old Master paintings and drawings with auction house experience.
Estimate € 2,000 - € 2,400
 | €180 | |
|---|---|---|
| €170 | |
| €160 | |
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Description from the seller
Naples School of the 17th Century
“Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew”
Period: 1650 / 1680
Oil on canvas
Proposed attribution: painter from the circle of Aniello Falcone and Salvator Rosa
Measurements: 112 x 88.5 cm in a later period frame
Support: 93 x 69 cm
Description
The work depicts a tumultuous scene of martyrdom set within a vast wooded landscape, in line with a scenographic conception characteristic of Italian painting in the 17th century.
In the center of the composition rises the semi-naked figure of an elderly saint, with a long white beard, represented with the body propped upward and the right arm theatrically raised. A torturer, dressed in a lively blue jerkin and red breeches, holds him firmly, while at the sides soldiers armed with lances witness the episode and seem to be giving orders.
The presence of dark marks on the martyr’s torso, together with the action exerted by the torturer on his body, makes plausible the identification of the subject with the Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew, traditionally depicted during the paring of the skin. The identification, in the absence of further unequivocal iconographic attributes, should nevertheless be kept in a prudent form.
Particularly significant is the setting. The painter does not focus the interest exclusively on the religious episode, but places it within a broad and highly evocative landscape: large trees with dark canopies, rocky spurts and monumental ruins on the left form a natural stage within which the figures appear almost as protagonists of a theatrical drama.
The composition develops through a succession of diagonals and sudden luminous openings. The central nucleus formed by the saint and the torturer constitutes the chromatic and narrative fulcrum of the painting, mainly thanks to the juxtaposition of the blues and reds of the garments with the brown and olive-green tones of the landscape.
Attributive considerations
From a stylistic point of view, the work appears traceable to the Neapolitan painting culture of the 17th century, and in particular to that milieu where the southern naturalistic tradition meets military painting and fantastical landscape.
The figures of the soldiers, characterized by helmets, lances, agitated attitudes and swiftly defined physiognomies, find meaningful points of comparison in the works of Aniello Falcone (1607-1656) and the painters surrounding his workshop.
At the same time, the importance attributed to the landscape, the dark arboreal masses, the rocks and ruins, the dramatic atmosphere and the relatively small relationship between figures and nature suggest an acquaintance with Salvator Rosa’s production (1615-1673).
Particularly interesting is the fusion of sacred scene, military episode and landscape, which brings the work closer to the Neapolitan figurative culture developed between the second and the third quarter of the 17th century.
In the absence of a legible signature, ancient documentation or diagnostic analyses, it seems correct to maintain a prudent attributive formulation:
17th Century Neapolitan School, circle of Aniello Falcone and Salvator Rosa.
An indicative dating to the second half of the 17th century is presently compatible with the stylistic characteristics observed.
Condition Report
The work presents in a fair state of general preservation, compatible with its age and with the conservation interventions it has undergone over time.
The canvas is lined/stretched; a historic restoration intervention was likely performed to consolidate the original support. The canvas is mounted on a wooden frame with a central vertical crossbar.
Ideal for collectors and investment
- The frame currently present is included with the sale of the work as a courtesy. Any transport damages related to the frame alone cannot be the subject of refunds or disputes.
Photographic note: Some images of the work were professionally taken with the aid of artificial lighting (studio spotlight) in order to more clearly highlight the painting’s characteristics, material, color, and conservation state. The perception of color and brightness may therefore vary slightly from viewing the piece under natural or ambient light.
With a legally compliant certificate of authenticity – Expertise
Professional packing and insured shipping
Seller's Story
Magnolia Arte
Auctions · Works of Art · Expertise
Magnolia Arte was born from a passion for art and from the experience gained in study, selection and enhancement of works destined for collecting.
The auction house and gallery operates in the art market with particular attention to antique, modern and contemporary painting, offering carefully selected works for historical-artistic interest, quality and collectible value.
Each work is presented through a path of in-depth study that, where applicable, considers historical and stylistic context, attribution, condition, provenance and bibliographic and comparative references. For works that require it, studies, expertise and diagnostic deepening can also be prepared.
COLLECTING WITH DISCERNMENT
For Magnolia Arte, purchasing a work means entering into a relationship with a unique object, a witness of an era, of a culture and of the artist’s sensibility.
For this reason we accompany the collector not only in the choice, but also in the understanding and valorizations of the work, offering a direct, confidential and professional relationship.
Translated by Google TranslateNaples School of the 17th Century
“Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew”
Period: 1650 / 1680
Oil on canvas
Proposed attribution: painter from the circle of Aniello Falcone and Salvator Rosa
Measurements: 112 x 88.5 cm in a later period frame
Support: 93 x 69 cm
Description
The work depicts a tumultuous scene of martyrdom set within a vast wooded landscape, in line with a scenographic conception characteristic of Italian painting in the 17th century.
In the center of the composition rises the semi-naked figure of an elderly saint, with a long white beard, represented with the body propped upward and the right arm theatrically raised. A torturer, dressed in a lively blue jerkin and red breeches, holds him firmly, while at the sides soldiers armed with lances witness the episode and seem to be giving orders.
The presence of dark marks on the martyr’s torso, together with the action exerted by the torturer on his body, makes plausible the identification of the subject with the Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew, traditionally depicted during the paring of the skin. The identification, in the absence of further unequivocal iconographic attributes, should nevertheless be kept in a prudent form.
Particularly significant is the setting. The painter does not focus the interest exclusively on the religious episode, but places it within a broad and highly evocative landscape: large trees with dark canopies, rocky spurts and monumental ruins on the left form a natural stage within which the figures appear almost as protagonists of a theatrical drama.
The composition develops through a succession of diagonals and sudden luminous openings. The central nucleus formed by the saint and the torturer constitutes the chromatic and narrative fulcrum of the painting, mainly thanks to the juxtaposition of the blues and reds of the garments with the brown and olive-green tones of the landscape.
Attributive considerations
From a stylistic point of view, the work appears traceable to the Neapolitan painting culture of the 17th century, and in particular to that milieu where the southern naturalistic tradition meets military painting and fantastical landscape.
The figures of the soldiers, characterized by helmets, lances, agitated attitudes and swiftly defined physiognomies, find meaningful points of comparison in the works of Aniello Falcone (1607-1656) and the painters surrounding his workshop.
At the same time, the importance attributed to the landscape, the dark arboreal masses, the rocks and ruins, the dramatic atmosphere and the relatively small relationship between figures and nature suggest an acquaintance with Salvator Rosa’s production (1615-1673).
Particularly interesting is the fusion of sacred scene, military episode and landscape, which brings the work closer to the Neapolitan figurative culture developed between the second and the third quarter of the 17th century.
In the absence of a legible signature, ancient documentation or diagnostic analyses, it seems correct to maintain a prudent attributive formulation:
17th Century Neapolitan School, circle of Aniello Falcone and Salvator Rosa.
An indicative dating to the second half of the 17th century is presently compatible with the stylistic characteristics observed.
Condition Report
The work presents in a fair state of general preservation, compatible with its age and with the conservation interventions it has undergone over time.
The canvas is lined/stretched; a historic restoration intervention was likely performed to consolidate the original support. The canvas is mounted on a wooden frame with a central vertical crossbar.
Ideal for collectors and investment
- The frame currently present is included with the sale of the work as a courtesy. Any transport damages related to the frame alone cannot be the subject of refunds or disputes.
Photographic note: Some images of the work were professionally taken with the aid of artificial lighting (studio spotlight) in order to more clearly highlight the painting’s characteristics, material, color, and conservation state. The perception of color and brightness may therefore vary slightly from viewing the piece under natural or ambient light.
With a legally compliant certificate of authenticity – Expertise
Professional packing and insured shipping
Seller's Story
Magnolia Arte
Auctions · Works of Art · Expertise
Magnolia Arte was born from a passion for art and from the experience gained in study, selection and enhancement of works destined for collecting.
The auction house and gallery operates in the art market with particular attention to antique, modern and contemporary painting, offering carefully selected works for historical-artistic interest, quality and collectible value.
Each work is presented through a path of in-depth study that, where applicable, considers historical and stylistic context, attribution, condition, provenance and bibliographic and comparative references. For works that require it, studies, expertise and diagnostic deepening can also be prepared.
COLLECTING WITH DISCERNMENT
For Magnolia Arte, purchasing a work means entering into a relationship with a unique object, a witness of an era, of a culture and of the artist’s sensibility.
For this reason we accompany the collector not only in the choice, but also in the understanding and valorizations of the work, offering a direct, confidential and professional relationship.
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Artist
Scuola napoletana (XVII)
Sold with frame
Yes
Sold by
Gallery
Title of artwork
Martirio di San Bartolomeo - XL format
Technique
Oil painting
Signature
Not signed
Country of origin
Italy
Year
1670
Condition
Good condition
Height
88.5 cm
Width
112 cm
Period
17th century
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