Scene of a night-time naval battle

oil on copper (oval)

59 x 74 cm

with frame 83 x 98 cm

NB: please note that the painting depicts a night-time battle, which is dark in nature and requires adequate lighting to be fully appreciated, as shown in the photos published here

The painting depicts a detailed night-time naval battle and is attributed to the Italian artist Ilario Mercanti (Parma 1657 - 1734), better known by the nickname Spolverini. The painting is executed on copper, a medium that allows the palette to be fully appreciated in all its chromatic values, characterised here by great intensity.

The scene depicts a chaotic clash between ships of two European armies, presumably between the English and French fleets: the foreground is dominated by a close encounter between two groups of men on small boats, probably during the boarding of a ship.

The overall impression is one of intense violence and desperate struggle, accentuated by the drama of the night-time setting, with the water full of struggling figures, while in the background, imposing warships exchange cannon fire in a leaden sky thick with smoke.

There are numerous examples of this aspect of Spolverini's work, always supported by his characteristic skill in animating intricate groups of figures and his great inventiveness, with such ease that he was never forced to resort to repetition or self-copying.

The scene depicted is intensely dramatic and vivid, with a cold, moonlight filtering through the dark clouds and smoke billowing from a burning ship, accentuating and contributing to the overall sense of competitive vigour in the painting. The background tones of the entire composition, dark yet intense and brilliant, accentuated by the intense red splashes that characterise the painting, increase the violence of this nocturnal clash.

By way of comparison, we can mention the pair of ‘Battaglie di Fornovo’ (Pinacoteca di Parma), one daytime and the other night-time, in which he gives a first glimpse of his peculiar use of light through the artificial light of the explosion in the background, and again the two ovals ‘Scoppio della polveriera’ and ‘Assedio a un castello’ (Millon Paris 27.9. 23 [1], see photo in details), already exhibited at the Circolo della Stampa in Milan. Finally, there are the two paintings depicting naval battles in the Cariparma Foundation (https://catalogo.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/scheda/opera/85958/).

[1] https://www.millon.com/catalogue/vente2685-da-una-prestigiosa-dimora-cremonese-dipinti-e-arredi-dal-....

The work is in excellent condition, thanks to its copper backing, and is completed by a fine custom-made gilded frame, not contemporary with the painting.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The painting is sold with a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic card.

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