The Landing of the Relics of St. John the Baptist in Genoa
Artist/Maker
Material / Technique
Dimensionsh x w: Mått 31,9 x 53,5 cm
Inventory numberNMH 1611/1863
AcqusitionTransferred 1866 from Kongl. Museum (Carl Gustaf Tessin)
Other titlesTitle (sv): Reliken av Johannes Döparen mottages i Genua Title (en): The Landing of the Relics of St. John the Baptist in Genoa Inventory title (sv): Johannes döparens stoft emottages i Genua
DescriptionDescription: Inscribed in pen and brown ink: Solimena Napolitano dipinse nella Sala del Gran Consiglio in Genova After the death of Luca Giordano, Solimano was the eminent decorator of the age, primarily working in his native Naples. In 1708 Solimano was already discussing the commission to decorate three large walls in Sala del Consiglio of the Senatorial Palace, today known as Palazzo del Consiglio, representing notable events in the history of the city. The subjects were "Massacre of the Giustinian Family on Chios, The Landing of the Relics of St. John the Baptist at Genoa" and "The Landing of Columbus in the Indies", signifying a memorable act by one of Genua's most illustrious sons. The terms of the commission were finalized in 1715; the paintings were executed in Naples and shipped to Genua. The first two had arrived before August 13, 1717, the last was not finished until 1728. All three paintings were destroyed in a fire 1777. An oil study for the painting of "The Landing of the Relics" exist in the De Ferrari Collection in Genoa, and an oil sketch by Jean-François de Troy representing the Columbus picture belongs to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. For the Massacre of the Giustinian family there is a large oil study in Museo di Capodimonte, Naples. A preliminary study for the Columbus picture is in the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, which also has what seems to be a first preliminary study for the Relics, while a more definitive solution is in the Earl of Leicester Collection, Holkham Hall. In the Cooper-Hewitt study for the Relics, Solimena uses the famous fountain as a "repoussoir" to the left; he has abandoned this solution in the Holkham Hall drawing, which is more coherent, with all the figures arranged along a single horisontal line. In the Stockholm sheet the compositional ideas are developed, more space being devoted to the main scene, with the presentation of the relics, in the foreground, while the Holkham Hall drawing's new "repoussoir", a man in a rowing boat in a central position, is replaced in turn by two figures arranged more discretely to the sides. The painted study, in which the whole composition is shown in reverse, seems to belong to an early stage before Solimena has managed to organize the picture. It could be a preliminary version, presenting the idea to his patrons before he obtained the commission [Bjurström, It. Drawings, cat. no. 963]
Collection
Geographical origin
TechniqueWash drawing, Drawing
Object category