MASP

A painting of unknown origin, Landscape with Brigands was donated to the Masp Collection in 1948, and has vaguely been attributed to a follower of Salvator Rosa (Naples, 1615 – Rome, 1673). The naturalistic, anecdotal, and tenebrist style, together with its pre-romantic theme, betrays its origins in the Rome – Naples circuit frequented by Salvatore Rosa, among so many other Italian, Flemish, Dutch, and French’s painters, called bamboccianti, an expression derived from Bamboccio, a nickname bestowed on the Dutch’s painter, Pieter Van Laer, by his colleagues in Rome, which means overgrown child, freak, ugly dummy etc. Salvatore Rosa, was influenced by Laer’s bambocciate style, especially in a painting Landscape with Brigands from the collection of Lord Sackville in Knole, England. The reference to Salvatore Rosa in the Masp painting however is far too remote since the painter of this work was posterior to Rosa by at least half a century, and furthermore his painting reflects the strong influence of Italian-Flemish culture which intensively permeated the art of the 18th century. With his masterly use of the brush alla brava combined with strong effects of chiaroscuro that verge on impressionism, and his sensitivity for painting dramatically menacing landscapes, this painter, in spite of bung anonymous up until now, has a personal style of expression which allows us to hope for a future identification.

— Unknown authorship, 1998

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