Hendrick Van Somer (c.1615-1685) - San Tommaso

CARAVAGGESQUE PAINTER


Hendrick van Somer, Saint Thomas (Oil on canvas 137 x 110)
Hendrick van Somer (Lokeren, 1607 – Naples, 1656?) is commonly identified with the Enrico Fiammingo mentioned in the Lives of the Neapolitan Painters, Sculptors and Architects (1742-1743) by Bernardo De Dominici, who includes him among the disciples of Jusepe de Ribera.
De Dominici’s indication regarding Van Somer’s entry, after his arrival in Naples, into Ribera’s workshop appears plausible and in line with the historical-artistic context of the time. During the 1630s, Van Somer seems to have established a link with Matthias Stomer, another eminent artist originally from Flanders, active in Naples for some years during the fourth decade of the century. Stomer, during his stay in Naples, was also deeply influenced by the painting of the master Ribera, whose stylistic language permeates the works of both.
Critical investigations conducted in recent decades have allowed a significant recovery of the figure of Hendrick van Somer, recognized as an artist of great value and unanimously considered the most important among the Flemish painters working in Naples in the first half of the seventeenth century.
The painting under analysis represents a significant contribution to the corpus of works attributable to Van Somer. It shows close affinities with the Moses (photo 7) preserved in a private collection, with which it shares a chromatic palette characterized by the distinctive straw yellow and formal details such as the gnarled hands with flat nails. These elements, together with the non-camouflaged brushstroke and the abundant use of white lead, confirm the attribution of the painting to the hand of Van Somer.
canvas only measures cm. 128 x 101
frame cm. 138 x 110