Artwork
Vision of Saint Philip Neri
Vision of Saint Philip Neri is an oil painting by Giuseppe Passeri. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1700, *Vision of Saint Philip Neri* is an oil painting by the Roman Baroque artist Giuseppe Passeri (1654–1714). The work is currently held in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum. It depicts a contemplative scene in which a robed figure looks upward toward a celestial assembly, surrounded by cherubic figures.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, dressed in a black habit, raises his arms in a gesture of devotion, directing his gaze toward a group of heavenly beings. Among the cloud‑borne figures are a bearded man and a woman in blue, likely representing saints, while surrounding putti also look upward, emphasizing the spiritual revelation experienced by Saint Philip Neri.
Technique & Style
Passeri employs a realistic Baroque language, rendering textures—from the sheen of the robe to the delicate wings of the cherubs—with meticulous detail. A careful modulation of light and shadow gives the composition a three‑dimensional presence, while the luminous clouds and soft chiaroscuro enhance the sense of divine illumination.
History & Provenance
Giuseppe Passeri, a pupil of Carlo Maratta, produced a range of frescoes and altarpieces for Roman churches, notably Santa Caterina a Magnanapoli. The *Vision of Saint Philip Neri* entered the Fitzwilliam Museum’s holdings at an unspecified date, joining a broader collection of Baroque works that illustrate Passeri’s ecclesiastical commissions.
Context
Working in the late seventeenth‑century Roman artistic milieu, Passeri inherited the classicizing tendencies of Maratta while embracing the emotive dynamism characteristic of the Baroque. This painting reflects the period’s interest in depicting mystical experiences of saints, aligning with Counter‑Reformation aims to inspire piety through vivid, accessible visual narratives.
Artist & collection
Artist
Giuseppe Passeri (12 March 1654 – 2 November 1714) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active in his native city of Rome.
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