Possibly Francesco Solimena, c. 1700

Neapolitan master, possibly FRANCESCO SOLIMENA (Italy, 1657 - 1747); c. 1700.
"The Resurrection of Christ."
Oil on canvas. Relined.
Presents faults.
It has a frame of the eighteenth century with faults.
Measurements: 129 x 78 cm; 141 x 89 cm (frame).
This work is clearly part of the great Neapolitan painting of the late seventeenth century and early eighteenth century, and can be related to the circle of Francesco Solimena, a leading figure of the late Italian Baroque. The canvas represents the triumphal moment of the Resurrection of Christ, one of the most solemn themes of the Christian repertoire, approached here with a masterful combination of theatricality, dynamism and compositional clarity.
The composition responds directly to the famous model of the Resurrection of Christ preserved in the Belvedere Gallery in Vienna (inv. 6159), a documented work by Solimena made for Prince Eugene of Savoy through the Neapolitan viceroy Wirich Philipp, Count of Daun. The pyramidal structure of the figure of Christ, elevated above the scene and enveloped in an almost supernatural light, as well as the treatment of the dejected soldiers in the foreground, refer to a fully Solimenesque language: vigorous bodies, emphatic gestures and a dramatic use of chiaroscuro at the service of the theological message.
From the technical point of view, the canvas shows a sure and expressive execution. The brushwork, although in some areas softened by relined and visible losses, retains the characteristic energy of the Neapolitan school, with intense light hallmarks and a warm palette dominated by ochers, deep reds and vibrant whites. The anatomical treatment of Christ, idealized but firm, reveals a solid knowledge of drawing and a clear monumental vocation, even within a relatively contained format.
The relationship of this painting to the Viennese altarpiece model reinforces its art-historical interest. Despite its smaller size with respect to the final work, the composition maintains a remarkable narrative clarity and a high level of detail, qualities typical of advanced sketches and early versions intended for presentation or private devotion. The tradition according to which the model would have belonged to the Count of Daun or would have been received as a gift from Prince Eugene underlines the circulation of this type of work in aristocratic contexts of high cultural level.