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When San Rocco in Venice was remodelled in 1733, three of the leading artists of the time were asked to do altarpieces for the church. Two commissions went to the Venetian Marco Ricci (1676-1730), one to the Roman Trevisani (1656-1746), and one to the Neapolitan Solimena, who was regarded as one of Europe’s finest (and most expensive) painters at the time.

In all likelihood the intention was to compare the three Italian schools of painting with each other.

The emotional intensity of Solimena's picture

Ricci’s lavishly coloured extravaganzas and Trevisani’s conventionally based pathos are no match for the emotional intensity of Solimena’s picture.

The museum's version

The museum’s version may be a colour study for the finished painting - which is, however, narrower and finished with a semicircle on top - or, which is more likely, it may be a replica created to be used for teaching at Solimena’s private school of painting. The elegant composition, forceful use of strong contrasts between light and shade, and the figures’ classically restrained poses are all typical of Solimena who looked equally for inspiration within the solemn Baroque and the cheerful Rococo.

Details

  • Title: The Annunciation
  • Creator: Francesco Solimena
  • Creator Lifespan: 1657 Canale di Serino - 1747 Barra near Napoli
  • Creator Nationality: Italian
  • Creator Gender: Male
  • Creator Death Place: Barra near Napoli
  • Creator Birth Place: Canale di Serino
  • Date Created: 1672-1747
  • Værktekst: I forbindelse med en ombygning af San Rocco i Venezia i 1733 blev tre af tidens ledende malere bedt om at udføre altertavler til kirken. To bestillinger gik til venetianeren Marco Ricci (1676-1730), én til romeren Trevisani (1656-1746) og én til neapolitaneren Solimena, som dengang regnedes for at være en af Europas førende (og dyreste) malere. Meningen var sandsynligvis at måle de tre italienske malerskoler mod hinanden. Solimenas emotionelle intensitet Riccis overdådigt kolorerede udstyrsstykker og Trevisanis konventionelt anlagte patos formår ikke at hævde sig over for den emotionelle intensitet i Solimenas billede. Museets version af værket Museets version er måske en farvestudie til maleriet, som imidlertid er smallere og afsluttet med en halvbue foroven, eller - mere sandsynligt - en gentagelse, udført som dokumentation eller til undervisningsbrug i Solimenas private malerskole. Den kompositoriske elegance og den kraftfulde brug af stærke lys- og skyggekontraster kombineret med figurernes klassisk afmålte bevægelser er typiske for Solimena, der både hentede inspiration i den alvorsfulde barok og i den muntre rokoko.
  • Teknik: Olie på lærred
  • Proveniens: Erhvervet 1996
  • Provenance: Acquired 1996
  • Physical Dimensions: w75.8 x h129 cm (Without frame)
  • Dansk link: http://www.smk.dk/index.php?id=2680
  • Dansk Titel: Bebudelsen
  • Type: Painting
  • Rights: Statens Museum for Kunst, http://www.smk.dk/en/copyright/creative-commons/
  • Medium: Oil on canvas

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