Rosa

Rosa, SALVATOR, was born at Arenella, in the neighbourhood of Naples, on 20th June (or 21st July) 1615. In his youth he got a little instruction from Falcone, a painter of battle-scenes, but spent most of his time wandering amongst the wild and romantic scenery of Southern Italy, copying from nature. Some of his landscapes attracted the notice of the painter Lanfranco, who encouraged the young artist to go to Rome (1635). The next three years he passed alternately in Naples and in Rome, and leaped into fame with a picture, 'Tityus tortured by the Vulture.' He then settled down in Rome, but seems to have been in Naples at the time of Masaniello's revolt (1647), though it is uncertain whether he bore arms in support of the Fisher Lad. (It seems not to be true that he lived with bandits in the mountains in his youth.) At Rome his social talents—he was a skilful musician, improvisatore, actor, and poet—his merry humour, his wit, and his princely generosity made him a great favourite. But he made powerful enemies by his satires, clever productions in verse, and withdrew to Florence, where he remained nearly nine years. After that he returned to Rome, and died there on March 15, 1673. Salvator has a great reputation as a painter; this he owes mainly to his landscapes, which, though in many respects faulty, are original in subject and treatment, being generally representations of wild and savage scenes, executed with considerable freedom and energy. His historical pictures are not so good, though they are those he himself thought most of. He executed numerous etchings, highly characteristic of his peculiar style. His Satires were published in 1719. See Life by Balducci (new ed. 1830) and by Cantu (1844). Lady Morgan's book (1824) is a blending of fact and romance.