Saint Januarius

This oil on copper derives from Giacomo del Po's early period in Naples, where he arrived in 1683 with his family, probably in the suite of Gaspar Mendéz de Haro y Guzmán, 7th Marqués del Carpio, who was appointed Viceroy of Naples that year. Once in Naples, del Po quickly came under the influence of Luca Giordano, producing dramatic pictures of deep tonality, fluid white highlights and vibrant expressiveness. Saint Januarius was a Bishop martyr (d. 305) with specific associations with Naples. His emblem is a book on which are placed two vials of blood: his index finger was cut off when he was beheaded and a vial containing the Saint's dried blood is kept in Naples Cathedral, where the blood miraculously liquifies during annual public ceremonies. For a closely related picture see the Saint Januarius in the Museo di Capodimonte, Naples, which is dated to circa 1700.
We are grateful to Professor Nicola Spinosa for the attribution, given after examining the picture in the original.