The Sun Thief's Canvas

The Unexpected Arrival by Francesco Lojacono is a large canvas depicting the Risorgimento, as the alternative title also indicates: The return of the conscript (Il ritorno del coscritto)

The canvas is dominated by the brightness reflected by the vast light blue background.

The work, which earned Lojacono the title of Commander of the Order of the Crown of Italy, was highly praised by the critics.

So much so that the sicilian artist became known as the sun thief.

The extraordinary effects of light and atmosphere of the composition sparked this compliment by Gabriele D’Annunzio.

D'annunzio said: “the groups of people are enveloped in sunlight. The vast blueness pervades everything and everyone. It seems to me that all the poetry of the scene is there … in that warm gold and in that pure overseas land”.

Acquired by the rulers of Italy in 1883, in Rome at the Exhibition of Fine Arts for the Savoy collection, the picture was sent to the Royal Villa of Monza.

In 1915, it was transferred to the Quirinal Palace (Palazzo del Quirinale) and today it is in the lower belvedere of the tower.