A natural reaction against the selective methods of the “Eclectics”
gave rise to the “Naturalists,” who, headed by Michelangelo Caravaggio
(1569-1609), made Naples the centre of their operations. The utterly
repulsive picture entitled _The Death of the Virgin_ (No. 1121), by
Caravaggio, is merely large. Neither _The Fortune Teller_ (No. 1122)
nor the _Concert of Nine Musicians_ (No. 1123) can be compared with
the really striking and well-painted _Portrait of Alof de Wignacourt,
Grand-Master of Malta_ (No. 1124).
Salvator Rosa (1615-1675) is represented by _Tobias and the Angel_ (No.
1477) and a _Vision of Saul to Samuel_ (No. 1478). His _Landscape_ (No.
1480) shows that he delighted in “ideas of desolation, solitude and
danger, impenetrable forests, rocky and storm-lashed shores, in lonely
dells leading to dens and caverns of banditti, alpine ridges, trees
blasted by lightning or sapped by time.” His _Battle_ (No. 1479) is a
strange production.
Caravaggio was the master of Ribera (1588-1656), who is also called
Spagnoletto, and is included in the Catalogue among the Spanish
artists. This “Naturalist” school of Naples also included Luca
Giordano (1632-1705), who lived in Spain at one period.
The aim of the “Naturalists” is displayed in the prominence they gave
to all that was vulgar, coarse, and vile. With them art in Italy came
to an ignominious end, although in technical accomplishment, in mere
craftsmanship, they can hold their own with painters of much higher
rank.
[Illustration:
PLATE XVI.—JAN VAN EYCK
(1390?-1441)