Bandits on a Rocky Coast

Salvator Rosa

1655–60 · Oil on canvas · European Paintings

Rosa became known for his distinctive, theatrically dressed figures in the guise of bandits or soldiers set within rugged, menacing landscapes like the one above this doorway. The character of the landscape highlighted the potential ferocity of his protagonists, suggesting a narrative tension even without any identifiable story. Many of the figures in this painting relate to Rosa’s etchings that disseminated his influence across Europe.

Artist

Salvator Rosa

Date

1655–60

Medium

Oil on canvas

Department

European Paintings

Credit line

Charles B. Curtis Fund, 1934