Artwork
Jonah Preaching to the People of Niniveh
Jonah Preaching to the People of Niniveh is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Salvator Rosa. It dates from 1645 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
In 1645 Salvator Rosa created an oil painting titled Jonah Preaching to the People of Niniveh. Executed during the early Baroque era in Italy, the work is now part of the Statens Museum for Kunst collection. It presents the biblical prophet Jonah addressing a gathered crowd, a subject frequently explored in the religious art of the period.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a robed figure, presumed to be Jonah, standing on a stone platform with his arms extended. Around him a diverse assembly of listeners—some kneeling, others reaching upward—respond to his urgent gesture, suggesting the moment when Jonah exhorts the inhabitants of Nineveh to repentance.
Technique & Style
Rosa employs the dramatic chiaroscuro typical of Baroque painting, contrasting the illuminated figure against a darker backdrop of stone columns and a cloudy sky. The handling of oil paint renders both the textures of the stone setting and the varied expressions of the crowd with a vigorous, almost theatrical intensity.
History & Provenance
The artist, known for both landscape and history scenes, worked in several Italian centers, including Naples, Rome and Florence. His reputation was bolstered by a restless personality and interests beyond painting, such as poetry and printmaking. The canvas eventually entered the Danish national collection, where it remains on display.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Salvator Rosa (1615 – 15 March 1673) is best known today as an Italian Baroque painter, whose romanticised landscapes and history paintings, often set in dark and untamed nature, exerted considerable influence from the 17th century into…
