17th-Century Neapolitan School, The Assumption Of San Gennaro

17th-Century Neapolitan School, The Assumption Of San Gennaro

A 17th-century Neapolitan School depiction of the Assumption Of San Gennaro. This energetic and evocative painting was almost certainly designed for public worship.

The central figure, San Gennaro (or Saint Januarius), is the patron saint of Naples and his bones are preserved at Naples Cathedral. He’s believed to have been martyred during the Christian persecution under Emperor Diocletian and this forms an aspect of the painting.

Note how the artist has shown contrast between the violence below and the celestial heavens above. San Gennaro is emerging from the ravages of persecution - inches away from the world that awaits him. Fellow Christians are slaughtered as a myriad of icons draw him closer.

There’s an abundance of iconography in this piece and it’s typical of Neapolitan painters from the period. At the time, Naples was recovering from the devastation of the Plague and many works feature violence, loss and anguish. But the message here is one of hope - that despite the brutality on Earth, each of us has a chance for salvation.

The composition is close to several works by the Neapolitan painter, Paolo de Matteis (1662-1728) so it's plausible that the artist worked within his circle.

The painting is housed within a fine 18th-century carved and gilded frame.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 30½” x 42½” / 78cm x 108cm
Year of creation: c. 1690
Provenance: Rome, Italy
Condition: Various restorations over the years as you would expect. Canvas relined. Craquelure throughout and several minor paint losses but the paint layer is broadly stable. Old wormholes in the stretcher. The pigments retain a good level of vibrancy. Frame with age-related wear and losses.

Conservation & History

We care profoundly about our role as custodians and every piece in the collection has been assessed by our conservator. When required, we undertake professional restoration carefully using reversible techniques and adopt a light touch to retain the aged charm of each work. We also restore frames rather than replace them as many are original and selected by the artists themselves.

Stay In Touch
Subscribe to our Wednesday newsletter for the latest finds and 10% off your order.

Availability