Mattia Preti (1613 - 1699), Mattia Preti (1613 - 1699) Portrait of commoners

Oil on Canvas, 97,5 × 133 cm

The canvas depicts three figures in a very close framing and with a three-quarter figure cut.

On the right-hand side, a man is placing an artichoke in his basket while focusing his attention to a young woman in humble attire, who is gently laundering a white sheet with a bar of soap. In the background, another young woman is observed carrying a basket, presumably laden with laundry.

The strong lighting that strikes the figures from the left, meticulously rendered skin texture, strokes of brown pigment on the hands and notably the emotive and theatrical tone of the composition, immediately recalls the Caravaggio culture of the 17th century. However, in this painting, there is a discernible maturity compared to the beginning of the century.

The portrayal of the man's hair and beard, defined with softer brushstrokes, diverges significantly from the early followers of Michelangelo Merisi, aligning more closely with the artistic sensibilities of painters from the mid-century period. Specifically to Mattia Preti, who is perhaps the most poetic of the Caravaggesque painters of his age.

Born in 1613 in Taverna, Calabria, Mattia Preti soon relocated to Rome with his more mature brother Gregorio, with whom he had already started a close collaboration in his early works.
Mattia was a huge success right from the start and by the middle of the century his paintings were in many Roman collections and he was in demand for paintings and frescoes in Roman churches, in particular for the large scenes in Sant'Andrea Della Valle.

Oil on Canvas, 97,5 × 133 cm