FOLLOWER OF PIER FRANCESCO MOLA (COLDRERIO 1612-1666 ROME)

FOLLOWER OF PIER FRANCESCO MOLA (COLDRERIO 1612-1666 ROME)
An apostle
oil on canvas
79 x 61.5 cm

The painting points to its likely execution in during the early 18th century. The work can be compared on stylistic and compositional grounds to treatments of the subject by the Neapolitan and Roman schools of the 17th and 18th century, and notably the works of Pier Francesco Mola.
Although the precise identity of the author has yet to be satisfactorily resolved, a plausible attribution to follower of Pier Francesco Mola is proposed, the present work shows a comparable treatment of Light (Chiaroscuro) and a similar characterisation of the figure.
Pier Francesco Mola worked primarily in Rome. He was known for his highly emotional and expressive style, and his use of light and shadow to create dramatic effects in his paintings. Mola's own style was a unique combination of these various influences, resulting in paintings that were highly emotional and expressive, yet also displayed a strong sense of classical form and composition as in the present work. His work had a significant influence on later Baroque painters, particularly in his use of light and shadow to create dramatic effects. Mola was also a respected teacher and mentor to many young artists in Rome.Click here to share: