57 - NUNZIO ROSSI (Naples 1626 – Sicily 1651)

NUNZIO ROSSI (Naples 1626 – Sicily 1651) St. Paul the Apostle Oil on canvas Non-contemporary gilded wooden frame. The painting on display exhibits the typical stylistic characteristics of the Neapolitan painter Nunzio Rossi, marked by a strong naturalism in the style of Ribera and a pronounced use of chiaroscuro with dense, impasto brushstrokes. Although Nunzio Rossi trained under Massimo Stanzione, his work is strongly influenced by Neapolitan naturalism. The saint’s face is not idealized but shows the furrowed, truthful, and intense features of an elderly man. The anatomical rendering of the hands—wrinkled and gnarled—is typical of the figures of saints, philosophers, and hermits painted by Rossi. The painting is constructed through a sharp contrast between light and shadow: The dark, almost monochromatic background makes the figure of the saint stand out with dramatic force, and the light selectively illuminates his broad forehead, wide-open eyes (filled with emotional and spiritual expression), and the hand holding the sword, accentuating the pathos of the scene. The paint is applied with vigorous brushstrokes, visible on the canvas, especially in the rendering of the thick gray beard and the metallic reflections on the sword’s hilt. While maintaining a monumental composition, the rendering of the garments and details prioritizes chromatic and luministic effects over academic, precise draftsmanship—a trait that Rossi refined by studying the colorism of Giovanni Lanfranco. 60 x 48 cm.