Top 10 Artists and their Masterpieces
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1. Pietro Cavallini
Many scholars now credit this Roman artist (c.1250–c.1330) with much of the St Francis fresco in Assisi, until recently attributed to Giotto. His work in Naples includes Scenes from the Lives of Christ and John the Baptist in San Domenico Maggiore.
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2. Donatello
The bas-relief of the Assumption, the cardinal’s head and the caryatid on the right of the Tomb of Cardinal Rinaldo Brancaccio in Sant’Angelo a Nilo church are assumed to be the only pieces in Naples by this Florentine master (1386–1466).
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3. Masaccio
A 15th-century Crucifixion by this Tuscan painter (1401–28) is one of the treasures of the Capodimonte Museum. The work is a blend of the formal medieval tradition and the vitality of the Renaissance. Of note are the anatomical accuracy of Christ’s torso and the sense of drama created by the outstretched arms of Mary Magdalene.
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4. Sandro Botticelli
Typical of this much-loved Florentine artist (1444–1510) is his Madonna with Child and Two Angels in the Capodimonte Museum. Although it is an early work, all of the hallmarks of the painter at his height are here: the delicacy of the veils; the refinement of features; and the soulful eyes, evoking sublimity.
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5. Titian
This consummate painter of the Venetian Renaissance (c.1490–1576) is represented in Naples by several works, all but one in the Capodimonte Museum. These include his sensuous masterpiece Danaë , and the religious works La Madda-lena and Annunciazione .
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6. Caravaggio
This Baroque master (1571–1610) created a lasting artistic revolution with his dramatic use of chiaroscuro (light and shade). He spent a year or so in Naples; among the works he completed here is Flagellation of Christ , originally in the San Domenico Maggiore church but now in Capodimonte.
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7. Domenichino
A mammoth fresco cycle by this painter (1581–1641) adorns the Duomo’s Cappella di San Gennaro, depicting episodes from the life of Naples’ patron saint.
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8. Jusepe Ribera
The Spanish painter (1590–1652) spent much of his life in Naples, where he created powerful and original works. These include his San Sebastiano in the Certosa di San Martino.
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9. Artemisia Gentileschi
It is said that Gentileschi (1597–1652) was violated in her youth and brought the pain of her indignation to her astounding Judith and Holofernes , now in Capodimonte. She was virtually the only female artist of the age to rise to fame.
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10. Luca Giordano
One of the most prolific of Naples’ Baroque artists (1632–1705). His paintings and frescoes are ubiquitous in the city, adorning churches and museums. Most significant is Triumph of Judith on the Treasury ceiling in the Certosa di San Martino.
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