Luca Giordano, 'Perseus turning Phineas and his Followers to Stone', early 1680s.
London, The National Gallery.

Baroque Painting in Genoa

13 March - 16 June 2002
Sunley Room

Generously supported by
Banca Carige, Genoa, Italy
Festival Crociere
Regione Liguria
The Bernard Sunley Charitable Foundation

Catalogue supported by Camera di Commercio di Genova

In the 17th century, Genoa enjoyed a great flourishing of the arts. It attracted influential and famous artists from all over Europe and produced a group of superb local painters. Genoa was one of the richest and most cosmopolitan cities of northern Italy, the centre of an extensive trading and banking network. Enormous wealth was invested in the creation of impressive town palaces with spectacularly decorated interiors.

This was the first exhibition to be held in Britain of Genoese painting. Highlights included Rubens' 'Equestrian Portrait of Giovan Carlo Doria', an impressive image of one of Genoa's most significant artistic patrons; Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione's 'Adoration of the Shepherds' altarpiece from the church of San Luca, and Valerio Castello's dynamic 'Rape of Proserpine'. There were also works by Van Dyck, who spent several years in Genoa in the 1620s before settling in England, Orazio Gentileschi, and the Franciscan painter, Bernardo Strozzi, as well as a magnificent carved picture frame by the virtuoso sculptor Filippo Parodi.

Exhibition Video

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