Vulcan

In his forge, Vulcan, the ancient Roman god of fire, leans on an anvil, resting for a moment from his work as armourer in the service of the gods and heroes. The framing is tight on his figure and nothing, except his nudity and the presence of the anvil and hammer, reminds us of the heated fervour of his work or of the weapons that are the fruit of his labours. The painter of this canvas was Pompeo Batoni, a leading artist in this tradition of classicism in 18th-century Rome. He was much appreciated by the aristocracy of half of Europe both for his mythological paintings and for his portraits of Grand Tour travelers posing before the masterpieces of ancient Rome. The canvas depicting Vulcan, from the collection of the Olginati family of Como, bears the date 1750 next to the painter’s initials, illustrates the idealised conception, the elegant and meticulous drawing, and the pictorial drafting with extreme chromatic and chiaroscuro delicacy that are the best characteristics of Batoni’s style. (P. Vanoli)