Francesco Graziani Ciccio Napoletano

The painting in question it is characterized by a crowded composition, where between the contrasts of areas in light and areas in shadow, the characters stand out with physiognomies and dresses reminiscent of Neapolitan pictorial reminiscence of the first half of the century.

Graziani is cited inside of the Barberini inventories as the author of scenes with horses, seascapes and battles and his fame is linked to this genre of painting. The knights assert themselves against a clear landscape background, outlined with a rapid and nervous line, enlivened by effective areas of light and a uniform chromatic vibration. It is not a heroic tale but a realistic one, the brushstrokes are snappy and lively, the material takes shape thanks to the filaments of pure color to violently represent horses and riders. The great fury and bizarreness that are narrated in this painting are to be compared with other works by the artist such as the battle scene preserved at Palazzo Bardini in Florence or the combat of knights at the Museum of Palazzo Pretorio in Prato.
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