Francesco Fidanza (Rome, 1747- Milan, 1819) Marina in Tempesta

Francesco Fidanza (Rome, 1747- Milan, 1819)

Navy in Storm

oil on canvas, 47 x 68 cm

The canvas examined for stylistic and compositional references can be attributed to the hand of the painter Francesco Fidanza (1749-1819).

For some, born in Rome, for others in Città di Castello, Francesco Fidanza is the eldest son of Filippo and brother of Giuseppe, both painters. Fidanza is above all known for his landscapes and seascapes, which were very successful both in Italy and Paris. At the end of the century he moved to the French capital where he was strongly influenced by Vernet and Lacroix. This assumption influenced the impeccable formal elaboration of his production, characterized by the overcoming of the classical landscape by anticipating solutions of Enlightenment and Romantic taste. Here he exhibited some landscapes at the Salon of 1801 (Snowy Weather, Moonlight) and that of 1804 (A Snowfall, preserved in the Gallery of Modern Art in Milan). Returning to Italy, he spent the last decade of his life in Milan, obtaining the protection of the viceroy Eugéne de Beauharnais, to whom he sent four Paesetti he painted and working for the Marquis Melzi d'Eril. The protection of Beauharnais offered Fidanza the commission for the views of the "principaux ports du Royaume": the viceroy's intention was to have a visual documentation similar to that created by CJ Vernet, with the series of 15 ports, created for the King of France Louis XV. The undertaking was not completed by Fidanza who only painted six views which are preserved today in various museums in Lombardy. 

The painting in question depicts a splendid seascape with a scene of storm and shipwreck, where the stormy sea has dragged the ship against the rocks and the beach comes alive with the small figures of sailors who have escaped the violence of nature. Beyond the water, on the opposite bank, you can see a city and a port rendered with a highly refined brushstroke that fades into the distance together with the background, leading the observer's eye towards the cloudless horizon. 

Fidanza's skill lies in knowing how to capture sudden meteorological effects, where storm clouds and powerful storm surges dissolve in a serene and bright environment; where the small figures, created with quick touches, are at the mercy of a grandiose and impetuous nature. Her atmospheres are restless, rich in contrasts of color and light, almost material. 

The work can be compared with a seascape seen on the Milanese antiques market a few years ago, where a similar composition is recognisable: the stormy sea in the foreground with castaways adrift, a lighthouse and a port in the background, the clouds from stormy they open into a serene glimpse.

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