The present publication is a catalogue raisonné of the works of Bernardo Cavallino (1616-1656), a baroque painter active in Naples in the first half of 17th Century. For his erudite manner, intense use of colours and shadows and a theatrical approach to subject, Cavallino can be considered one of the most interesting painters of his age, despite the small amount of works attributed to him.
An introduction by the author present the life of the artist and the relations with his contemporaries, from his formation in the realist tradition with Andrea Vaccaro and Massimo Stanzione, to the approach to classicsm, influenced by Artemisia Gentileschi and his maturity works, affected by some French painters active in Rome at the time, like Simone Vouet and Nicolas Poussin.
The catalogue introduces all of the artist’s known works, each commented by the author Nicola Spinosa and includes some work of painters considered near to Cavallino and active in the same area, like Andrea Vaccaro and Antonio De Bellis.
A catalogue of Cavallino’s drawings, compiled by the specialist of baroque drawings Cristiana Romalli, is also included.