Pseudo-Caroselli (Roma, attivo c.a 1630/1650)

Aeneas and Dido Attributed to Pseudo-Caroselli (Rome, active c.a 1630/1650) Oil on canvas (148 × 93 cm - framed 162 × 107 cm) (full details LINK) The episode depicted in the superb proposed canvas illustrates the beautiful Dido, queen of Carthage, in the moment of supplication towards her beloved Aeneas, now determined to abandon her. According to the Virgilian narration of the IV book of the Aeneid, Dido fell madly in love with the Trojan hero Aeneas, son of Anchises and Venus, when he landed in Carthage due to a storm caused by Juno before arriving in Lazio. Everything seems to be turning to the most classic of happy endings, but Jupiter arrives implacably, and through Mercury, calls Aeneas to duty by forcing him to leave for Lazio, where he will give rise to the lineage that will found the city of Rome. Thanks to a staging of great theatrical effect, with a clear Baroque imprint, we are in front of an engaging painting, in which a crucial moment of this passionate love story is illustrated, which after touching the heights of overwhelming passion, sees the drama of a woman in love follow. Dido, famous for her beauty and sensuality, is immortalized here in the moment of supplication to her beloved, desperate for her imminent departure, although already aware of the destiny that awaits her; she is intent on playing a lute, attempting a last vain attempt to detain him. Aeneas seems to listen to the melody sung in his honor, with a wavering expression, even though Mercury plays a transverse flute, as if to distract him from the queen's music. However, her sadness is contrasted by the diligence of the Trojans, whom we see feasting in the background, happy to resume the journey, because they evidently disapproved of the love between the two and the consequent prolongation of the stop. The author therefore seizes the pretext of the epic tale to depict a theme dear to the painting of the 17th century and extremely appreciated by collectors of this period, that dedicated to the universe of music; The canvas object of the study under examination, from which the strong suggestions to Caravaggism are immediately evident, is attributable to the so-called “Pseudo-Caroselli”, a mysterious ‘genre painter’, perhaps of Nordic origin but whose identity is unknown, close to the ways of the master Angelo Caroselli (Rome 1585-1652), with whom he has often been confused. He is certainly an artist who frequented the workshop of the Roman master, in all probability one of his pupils. The hypothesis that Pseudo-Caroselli is a North European artist, perhaps belonging to the populous colony of Flemish painters who permanently resided in Rome in the 17th century, is rather accredited, but it cannot be excluded (according to some authors) that it may be Angelo's son, Carlo Caroselli. The painting clearly stands as a cornerstone in the work of this mysterious author, both in terms of quality and for the presence of full-length figures, here demonstrating his histrionic and theatrical ability and his refined technique. Often the characters that appear in these paintings have grotesque poses and caricatured features and in general a marked sensual allusion is perceived. The painting is in good condition with the presence of an old layer of varnish.     ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The painting is completed by a wooden frame and is sold with a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic card. We take care of and organize the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers. Contact us for any information, we will be happy to answer you. Follow us also on : https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/