1664
oil
canvas
From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
Dominant colour
Polycrates and the Fisherman is a 1664 oil by Salvator Rosa, a High Baroque Italian work, held at Art Institute of Chicago.
This painting shows a group of men gathered on a rocky shore, surrounded by trees and a body of water. One man, dressed in a blue robe, points towards the water, while another man, wearing a white tunic, holds a fish. A third man, clad in armor, stands behind them, and several other figures are visible in the background. The scene is set against a backdrop of hills and mountains, with a blue sky dotted with white clouds. The overall atmosphere is one of drama and tension, as if the men are engaged in a heated discussion or argument. The use of chiaroscuro, a technique that uses strong contrasts between light and dark to create a sense of depth and volume, adds to the dramatic effect of the painting.
Salvator Rosa (1615 – 15 March 1673) is best known today as an Italian Baroque painter, whose romanticised landscapes and history paintings, often set in dark and untamed nature, exerted considerable influence from the 17th century into the early 19th century.
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