Naples Celebrates the Artistic Splendour of its Spanish Period

Naples' Golden Age was not solely an artistic and cultural explosion confined to Spain. Other territories under the Spanish monarchy also experienced a golden period during those years, as was the case in 17th-century Naples, then one of the most important and populous cities in Europe. An exhibition that opened this Thursday at the Naples branch of the Gallerie d'Italia celebrates that time, focusing particularly on the artistic contributions of women.

Beyond the renowned figure of Artemisia Gentileschi, the Neapolitan capital was bustling during those years with creations by Lavinia Fontana, Giovanna Garzoni, Fede Galizia, and Diana Di Rosa, some of whose works are featured in the exhibition, which also recalls the stories of two fascinating Neapolitan divas. The first is the singer Andreana Basile, who was in high demand at European courts during her time and was the sister of Giambattista Basile, author of 'The Tale of Tales (The Pentamerone)', adapted into a film by Matteo Garrone. The other was Giulia Di Caro, an extraordinary woman who rose from humble beginnings, where she once worked as a prostitute, to become a successful theatre entrepreneur.

"Naples in the 17th century was a crowded city, but not only with the well-known male figures; it was also home to many female artists we discuss in the exhibition, and others less known but no less important," says Antonio Ernesto Denunzio, one of the curators of the exhibition titled 'Women in Spanish Naples: Another 17th Century', which can be visited until March 22. The exhibition features 69 works, mostly paintings, including creations by two painters from our country who were closely linked to Naples. It has therefore received support from the Spanish Embassy in Italy and several Spanish cultural institutions.

The first of these is José de Ribera, who made his career in the viceroyalty to the extent that the Neapolitans nicknamed him 'lo spagnoletto' (the little Spaniard). One of the most significant works in the exhibition is his painting 'The Bearded Woman', a portrait of Maddalena Ventura, famous in her time for having half a palm of black hair on her face.

Originally from the Abruzzo region, she was considered a "wonder of nature", according to contemporary sources, to the point that she lived for a time at the court of the Spanish viceroy of Naples. Ribera painted her alongside her resigned husband in a painting owned by the Casa Ducal de Medinaceli Foundation, which, in a way, 'returns home' with this exhibition. The other Spanish painter featured is Diego Velázquez with his portrait of Infanta Maria of Austria, on loan from the Prado Museum.

The artists featured in this exhibition coincided in Naples during a very peculiar moment for the city with the visit of the aforementioned Infanta, sister of Philip IV and Queen of Hungary, between August and December 1630. That journey had a significant social, cultural, and artistic impact on the viceroyalty, then under the rule of Fernando Afán de Ribera, 3rd Duke of Alcalá and patron of artists like Artemisia Gentileschi and Giovanna Garzoni. It is believed that it was during this period that Velázquez painted the famous portrait of the Infanta preserved in the Prado Museum.

The singer Andreana Basile, remembered in the exhibition, performed for Maria of Austria, who took Isabella Gonzaga, Princess of Stigliano, among her ladies, whose eccentricity went down in history by acquiring a newborn indigenous girl from the Canary Islands who suffered from hypertrichosis (excessive hair growth). Lavinia Fontana made a famous portrait of the young girl, which can be seen in the exhibition.

“After the exhibition we organised on Artemisia Gentileschi in 2022, we wanted to promote research on other Neapolitan artists or those who worked here during the Golden Age. It was an extraordinary period,” concludes Michele Coppola, general director of the Gallerie d'Italia.