Allegory of Spring

Spinosa (op. cit.) connects the rich colouring, sumptuous forms and compositional clarity in the present work with the altarpiece of Saint Bonaventura receiving the Banner of St Sepulchre from the Madonna (Aversa, Cathedral of San Paolo), painted in 1710, when Solimena was at the height of his career. His work of this date demonstrates the Baroque influences inherited from Luca Giordano, seen here in the dynamic composition and dramatic lighting, combined with a classicism, evident in the figure of Flora. Solimena was the leading painter in Naples in the first half of the eighteenth century and enjoyed artistic success throughout Europe.

Its horizontal format, unusual medium and low viewpoint suggest that the painting was originally an overdoor and presumably formed part of a decorative scheme with three other pictures depicting allegories of the seasons. An old man warming himself by a brazier (Dublin, National Gallery) has been identified as the Allegory of Winter, but Summer and Autumn remain untraced.