A Giordano of Caetani

The parable of Luca Giordano laps also Sermoneta for presence of Caetani’s family, a Saint Francis(Fig.1), is of Luca Giordano, who here seems lacks of his baroque nature and takes a valour spiritual alone; the sublject takes interely, because a copy, the same saint at Colonna Gallery in Rome, a local historical, Pietro Pantanelli(1710-1787), says that this painting is of Girolamo Muziano, Pantanelli saw this painting in church of Maria Santissima dei Monti, today better known as Santa Maria della Vittoria, today inexistent, however Pantanelli describe outlines, while he talking around church, this painting: “(the church)has twoo chapels, one in front to other, in his access: at wright chapel dedicated to Saint Francis, and has a painting of Girolamo Muziani…”, today Pantanelli attribuited painting of painters who are very distant from Muziano; therafter if we haven’t document we can alone trust on painting same: toes of left feet are very next on contrary equal with same figures of Allegory of addition of Messina, weight cloth very intense, follows very next those of Giordano of other figures(Fig.2) as at Allegory of knowledge and Allegory of justice, and cloth of Kidnap of Proserpine(Figg.3-4). I think that commission for this painting is for Francesco Caetani, Duke of Sermoneta from 1614, and nephew of Agnesina Colonna, therefore parent of family which had the first version of this painting, and certainly had asked this reply, love of Francesco for painting is evident also for other commissions in Sermoneta; therefore also this painting we can consider a document of taste of Caetani’s both for will of decoration and for authors very high level that Francesco called for Caetani’s church as Santa Maria della Vittoria. 

Alessandro Lusana

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