Artwork
Study for "The Apotheosis of Ferdinand IV and Maria Carolina, King and Queen of Naples" (for the Palazzo dei Regi Studi, Naples)
Study for "The Apotheosis of Ferdinand IV and Maria Carolina, King and Queen of Naples" (for the Palazzo dei Regi Studi, Naples) is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Pietro Bardellino. It dates from 1791 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
It is currently part of the collection at The Cleveland Museum of Art, offering insight into the artist's process for a significant Neapolitan project.
Pietro Bardellino's 1791 oil painting, Study for "The Apotheosis of Ferdinand IV and Maria Carolina, King and Queen of Naples", serves as a preparatory work for a larger commission. This painting, executed in oil, captures a dynamic celestial scene. It is currently part of the collection at The Cleveland Museum of Art, offering insight into the artist's process for a significant Neapolitan project.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a grand assembly of figures ascending amidst a sky filled with clouds, suggesting a divine elevation or "apotheosis." Crowned individuals and robed figures are presented in various gestures, some holding symbolic objects like scrolls, while a horse and rider streak across the upper register. The overall imagery conveys a celebratory tribute to royalty, specifically Ferdinand IV and Maria Carolina, the King and Queen of Naples.
Technique & Style
Bardellino employed oil paint with smooth brushstrokes, allowing figures to merge seamlessly with the swirling cloud formations, creating an ethereal and dreamlike atmosphere. The palette features soft tones of pale blues, creams, and warm browns, enhanced by numerous gold and silver highlights. This approach emphasizes the celestial nature of the scene and contributes to the celebratory and elevated mood of the royal tribute.
History & Provenance
This particular oil painting functioned as a preliminary study for a larger, more comprehensive work intended for the Palazzo dei Regi Studi in Naples. Such studies were crucial steps in the artistic process, allowing painters to refine their compositions and color schemes before executing the final, often monumental, frescoes or canvases. Its existence provides a glimpse into the development of a significant public commission from the late 18th century.
Artist & collection
