Francesco Solimena

(Serino, 1657 - Napoli, 1747)

oil on panel within a contemporary carved and gilded wooden frame

The panel is a good example of the production that Francesco Solimena intended for the domestic devotion of private collectors who aspired to a glimpse of the work of the greatest Neapolitan artist of his time. The subject, reproduced several times, depicts Salvator Mundi, and appears to be an original composition rather than a simple adaptation of a larger one; a date in the early 18th century is suggested by the strong contrast that emphasizes the figure.