Francesco Solimena
Encyclopedia
Francesco Solimena was a prolific Italian painter of the Baroque
era, one of an established family of painters and draughtsmen.
.
He received early training from his father, Angelo Solimena, with whom he executed a Paradise for the cathedral of Nocera
(a place where he spent a big part of his life) and a Vision of St. Cyril of Alexandria for the church of San Domenico at Solofra
.
He settled in Naples
in 1674, there he worked in the studio of Francesco di Maria
and later Giacomo del Po
. He apparently had taken the clerical orders, but was patronized early on, and encouraged to become an artist by Cardinal Vincenzo Orsini (later Pope Benedict XIII
). By the 1680s, he had independent fresco commissions, and his active studio came to dominate Neapolitan painting from the 1690s through the first four decades of the 18th century. He modeled his art—for he was a highly conventional painter—after the Roman Baroque masters, Luca Giordano
and Giovanni Lanfranco
, and Mattia Preti
, whose technique of warm brownish shadowing Solimena emulated. Solimena painted many frescoes in Naples, altarpieces, celebrations of weddings and courtly occasions, mythological subjects, characteristically chosen for their theatrical drama, and portraits. His settings are suggested with a few details—steps, archways, balustrades, columns—concentrating attention on figures and their draperies, caught in pools and shafts of light. Art historians take pleasure in identifying the models he imitated or adapted in his compositions. His numerous preparatory drawings often mix media, combining pen-and-ink, chalk and watercolor washes.
A typical example of the elaborately constructed allegorical "machines" of his early mature style, fully employing his mastery of chiaroscuro
, is the Allegory of Rule (1690) from the Stroganoff collection, which has come to the State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg.
He apparently hoped to see his son Orazio follow a career in the law, for which he received a doctorate (de Domenici), but also became a painter.
His large, efficiently structured atelier became a virtual academy
, at the heart of cultural life in Naples. Among his many pupils were Francesco de Mura
(1696-1784), Giuseppe Bonito
(1707-89), Pietro Capelli
, Scipione Cappella
, Gaspare Traversi
, and most notably Corrado Giaquinto
and Sebastiano Conca
. The Scottish portraitist Allan Ramsay spent three years in Solimena's studio. Solimena amassed a fortune, was made a baron and lived in sumptuous style founded on his success.
Francesco Solimena died at Barra
, near Naples, in 1747.
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
era, one of an established family of painters and draughtsmen.
Biography
Francesco Solimena was born in Canale di Serino, near AvellinoAvellino
Avellino is a town and comune, capital of the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is situated in a plain surrounded by mountains 42 km north-east of Naples and is an important hub on the road from Salerno to Benevento.-History:Before the Roman conquest, the...
.
He received early training from his father, Angelo Solimena, with whom he executed a Paradise for the cathedral of Nocera
Nocera Inferiore
Nocera Inferiore, formerly Nocera dei Pagani, is a town and comune in Campania, Italy, in the province of Salerno, at the foot of Monte Albino, 20 km east-south-east of Naples by rail.-History:...
(a place where he spent a big part of his life) and a Vision of St. Cyril of Alexandria for the church of San Domenico at Solofra
Solofra
Solofra is a town and comune in the province of Avellino, in the Campania region of southern Italy.-Geography:The town is bordered by Aiello del Sabato, Calvanico, Contrada, Montoro Superiore and Serino.- History :...
.
He settled in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
in 1674, there he worked in the studio of Francesco di Maria
Francesco di Maria
Francesco di Maria was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Naples. He was a pupil of the painter Domenichino. Maria was an early mentor of Francesco Solimena, Giacomo del Po, and Paolo de Matteis.-References:...
and later Giacomo del Po
Giacomo del Po
Giacomo del Pó was an Italian painter of the Baroque. He was born in Palermo , the son of Pietro del Po....
. He apparently had taken the clerical orders, but was patronized early on, and encouraged to become an artist by Cardinal Vincenzo Orsini (later Pope Benedict XIII
Pope Benedict XIII
-Footnotes:...
). By the 1680s, he had independent fresco commissions, and his active studio came to dominate Neapolitan painting from the 1690s through the first four decades of the 18th century. He modeled his art—for he was a highly conventional painter—after the Roman Baroque masters, Luca Giordano
Luca Giordano
Luca Giordano was an Italian late Baroque painter and printmaker in etching. Fluent and decorative, he worked successfully in Naples and Rome, Florence and Venice, before spending a decade in Spain....
and Giovanni Lanfranco
Giovanni Lanfranco
Giovanni Lanfranco was an Italian painter of the Baroque period.-Biography:Giovanni Gaspare Lanfranco was born in Parma, the third son of Stefano and Cornelia Lanfranchi, and was placed as a page in the household of Count Orazio Scotti...
, and Mattia Preti
Mattia Preti
Mattia Preti was an Italian Baroque artist who worked in Italy and Malta.- Biography :Born in the small town of Taverna in Calabria, Preti was sometimes called Il Cavalier Calabrese...
, whose technique of warm brownish shadowing Solimena emulated. Solimena painted many frescoes in Naples, altarpieces, celebrations of weddings and courtly occasions, mythological subjects, characteristically chosen for their theatrical drama, and portraits. His settings are suggested with a few details—steps, archways, balustrades, columns—concentrating attention on figures and their draperies, caught in pools and shafts of light. Art historians take pleasure in identifying the models he imitated or adapted in his compositions. His numerous preparatory drawings often mix media, combining pen-and-ink, chalk and watercolor washes.
A typical example of the elaborately constructed allegorical "machines" of his early mature style, fully employing his mastery of chiaroscuro
Chiaroscuro
Chiaroscuro in art is "an Italian term which literally means 'light-dark'. In paintings the description refers to clear tonal contrasts which are often used to suggest the volume and modelling of the subjects depicted"....
, is the Allegory of Rule (1690) from the Stroganoff collection, which has come to the State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg.
He apparently hoped to see his son Orazio follow a career in the law, for which he received a doctorate (de Domenici), but also became a painter.
His large, efficiently structured atelier became a virtual academy
Academy
An academy is an institution of higher learning, research, or honorary membership.The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 385 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and skill, north of Athens, Greece. In the western world academia is the...
, at the heart of cultural life in Naples. Among his many pupils were Francesco de Mura
Francesco de Mura
Francesco de Mura was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque period, active mainly in Naples and Turin. His late work reflects the style of neoclassicism....
(1696-1784), Giuseppe Bonito
Giuseppe Bonito
Giuseppe Bonito was a Neapolitan painter of the Rococo period. Giuseppe Bonito is known for genre depictions on canvas. Many of Gaspare Traversi's paintings had previously been attributed to Bonito....
(1707-89), Pietro Capelli
Pietro Capelli
Pietro Capelli was an Italian painter of the Rococo, active in his native city of Naples. He trained under Francesco Solimena. He was active in quadratura.-References:...
, Scipione Cappella
Scipione Cappella
Scipione Cappella was an Italian historical painter. He was a pupil of Francesco Solimena. He copied many of his master's paintings.-References:...
, Gaspare Traversi
Gaspare Traversi
Gaspare Traversi was a Rococo painter best known for his genre works, and active both in his native city of Naples, but also painted throughout Italy, including a stay in Parma. He was active mainly between 1732–1769. He trained under Francesco Solimena...
, and most notably Corrado Giaquinto
Corrado Giaquinto
Corrado Giaquinto was an Italian Rococo painter.-Early training and move to Rome:He was born in Molfetta. As a boy he apprenticed with a modest local painter Saverio Porta, , escaping the religious career his parents had intended for him...
and Sebastiano Conca
Sebastiano Conca
Sebastiano Conca was an Italian painter.He was born at Gaeta, then part of the Kingdom of Naples, and apprenticed in Naples under Francesco Solimena. In 1706, along with his brother Giovanni, who acted as his assistant, he settled at Rome, where for several years he worked in chalk only, to...
. The Scottish portraitist Allan Ramsay spent three years in Solimena's studio. Solimena amassed a fortune, was made a baron and lived in sumptuous style founded on his success.
Francesco Solimena died at Barra
Barra (Naples)
Barra is an eastern suburb of Naples, southern Italy with a population of some 40,000 inhabitants Barra occupies the easternmost section of the Naples comunes territory, ranging from the sea to the Vesuvio's slopes, bounding with Poggioreale.The area has suffered much the same fate of urban decay...
, near Naples, in 1747.