Artwork
Scenes of Witchcraft: Day
Scenes of Witchcraft: Day is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Salvator Rosa. It dates from 1640 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
Scenes of Witchcraft: Day is an oil painting on canvas dated 1640, attributed to the Italian painter Salvator Rosa. No information regarding the painting's condition or conservation history is provided in the sources. It is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
The painting has not been listed in major exhibition records in the available sources, indicating a limited public display history.
Scenes of Witchcraft: Day is an oil on canvas attributed to Salvator Rosa, created in Italy in 1640, during the earlier part of his career when he was drawn to supernatural and macabre subjects. It is held by the Cleveland Museum of Art under accession number 1977.37.2. The painting has not been listed in major exhibition records in the available sources, indicating a limited public display history.
Overview
Created in 1640 by Italian Baroque artist Salvator Rosa, Scenes of Witchwitchcraft: Day is an oil painting now owned by the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work presents a tumultuous outdoor tableau that combines a natural landscape with a dramatic episode of witchcraft, characteristic of Rosa’s penchant for theatrical, narrative scenes.
Subject & Meaning
At the centre stands a long‑haired woman in flowing robes, brandishing a broom over a cluster of animals, a sheep, a goat and a dog, lying on the ground. Three diminutive figures lurk in the shadows, their expressions a mix of surprise and fear, while a stormy sky with lightning underscores the supernatural atmosphere.
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Artist & collection
Artist
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…
