Artwork
Dinner at the House of the Pharisee
Dinner at the House of the Pharisee is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Maria Felice Tibaldi. It dates from 1748 and is held in the collection of the Capitoline Museums.
About this work
Overview
Maria Felice Tibaldi’s oil painting *Dinner at the House of the Pharisee* (1748) depicts a convivial banquet scene. Executed in the mid‑18th century, the work is part of the collection of Rome’s Capitoline Museums and exemplifies the artist’s interest in narrative genre subjects.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents a bustling group gathered around a richly set table, where guests in vivid robes share food and drink. A woman in a blue dress leans toward the spread while a man in orange pours wine, suggesting hospitality and communal celebration within a biblical or moral context.
Technique & Style
Tibaldi employs strong chiaroscuro, contrasting illuminated figures against a darkened background to model volume and guide the eye toward the central action. The brushwork conveys movement, and the palette of saturated reds, blues, and oranges enhances the scene’s lively atmosphere.
History & Provenance
Completed in 1748, the painting entered the Capitoline Museums’ holdings at an early date, though precise acquisition details remain undocumented. Its presence in the state collection underscores the museum’s commitment to preserving 18th‑century Italian genre painting.
Context
The work reflects the period’s fascination with biblical banquet motifs, a theme popular among Italian painters who combined religious narrative with secular festivity. Tibaldi’s composition aligns with contemporary trends that emphasized moral instruction through depictions of shared meals.
Artist & collection
