Attributed to Marzio Masturzo

(Naples and Rome active 17th Century)
A battle scene between Christians and Ottomans at a fortress; and
A battle scene on a drawbridge, a fortress beyond,
oil on canvas, each 98 x 133.5 cm, framed, a pair (2)
Marzio Masturzo contributed to the genre of Neapolitan battle paintings. He was a close associate of Salvator Rosa, as is documented by the 18th-century biographer Bernardo De Dominici, but his use of colour was more vibrant and less sombre. Masturzo's reinterpretation of the works of contemporary artists, including Jacques Courtois and Michelangelo Cerquozzi, is evident in the present compositions. He was celebrated for his ability to infuse scenes with vivid realism ravaged by war and juxtapose them with the serene beauty of nature, here apparently in the expansive cloud scattered skies, in order to create a striking visual narrative.