Antique oil painting of a seaport scene after Salvator Rosa

This large oil-on-canvas painting is based on Salvator Rosa’s ‘Marina del Porto’, now in the Pitti Palace in Florence. Rosa, one of the most individual of 17th Century artists, is known today for his romantic, recognisably Italianate scenes—attributes evident in this highly-skilled 18th Century copy. The unknown artist of this painting has produced an especially competent reproduction of Rosa’s original scene of a seaport, capturing the sense of spaciousness, atmosphere, drama, and light that characterises the original work.

The foreground of the painting is a stage for a variety of human activity. At the bottom right, through to the middle ground, figures perform various actions: bathers, some nude, some undressing, and some reclining in the water, populate the scene. There are fishermen and boaters and figures simply enjoying the greater activity of the port. The port itself is animated by several large ships, including one in the process of being constructed. The total effect is one of busy activity. The landscape recesses into a distant sunrise, the light of which fills the scene with warm, golden tones. The painting is housed within a giltwood frame, the colour of which complements the soft palette of the picture.

Frame: height 140cm, width 186cm
Canvas: height 119cm, width 164cm