The main artistic movements in chronological order
Biographies of some of the greatest representatives of Italian art
Some of the most beautiful and representative monuments and works of Italian art
Salvator Rosa was born in Naples in 1615; he was a pupil of Jusepe de Ribera, then of Aniello Falcone, Fracanzano and Greco.
His main interest was painting landscapes but he was a poet and actor as well.
He settled in Rome in about 1635 and met painters like Puossin and Lorenese who loved classical style art.
He was appointed painter of the court in Florence by Mattia de' Medici; he paintedbattles, landscapes and imaginary views.
In 1649 he returned to Rome. He went through a period of reflection and meditation and painted religious, biblical and mythological subjects and all his paintings had a moralising purpose.
His most important works include: Temptation of St Anthony (palazzo Pitti, Florence), the Martyrdom of the Blessed Cosma and Damian (S. Giovannni dei Fiorentini, Rome), Humana Fragilitas (museum of Cambridge).
Salvator Rosa died in Rome in 1673.
