Francesco Maglioli

(Napoli)

The interesting perspective and the imaginative inventiveness in the construction of the architectural backdrop suggest that the work in question can be attributed to Francesco Maglioli, a 17th-century Neapolitan painter with scant biographical information. Against a backdrop of classical ruins, figures with measured gestures and draped robes stand out, examining the remains of glorious times gone by. The classicism that emerges from his paintings is the harmonious blend of soft colors, sharply defined shadows, and a keen study of life, common traits of the works in his limited oeuvre. Maglioli confirms his ability to construct complex architectural structures while carefully shaping even the most intricate details, demonstrating refined technical expertise.
Signed FM on the back, the work is considered to be autograph. It was in fact common for the painter to mark his works with his name or initials in capital letters, as in the case of Port Capriccio with Saint Peter Healing a Lame Man, preserved in the Verdini Collection in Rome, or Saint Peter Exorcising the Pagan Idols, from the Messinger Collection, Munich.
Sestieri G., Architectural Capriccio in Italy in the 17th and 18th Centuries, vol. II, etgraphiae, 2015, pp. 326-331

ASOR Studio