Attributed to Fedele Fischetti - Allegory of Summer

The painting depicts an allegory of summer. From the beginning of the Renaissance, the importance of allegorical and mythological figures grew. While until the Renaissance, works of art were often easy to read, with the rise of illustrious intellectuals, the pleasure of discovery also arose. Precisely for this reason, many nobles delighted in creating scenes drawn from ancient scriptures so that, in the context of weddings and banquets, scholars could discuss the underlying meanings of the depicted works. In this case, where the allegory is that of summer, we find precedents dating back to the Middle Ages. While then the main figure was easily recognizable because of the way in which the descriptive attributes were clearly displayed, as the centuries progressed, the attributes faded into the background. Here too, the playfulness of the little putti is first noticeable, and only later does the eye fall on the ears of wheat.

The painting is rendered in a picturesque and elegant style, creating an airy and graceful scene. This is the era of the transition from Rococo to more classicist painting. In this case, classicism is found primarily in the subjects depicted. The scene is very lively, creating a lively and almost theatrical composition that suggests the play of the putti. The color seems almost diluted, applied with quick, bold brushstrokes and delicate colors. Despite the sparsely detailed scene, the painter manages to give depth to the image through the placement of the putti.

The painting is accompanied by a handwritten letter from Vincenzo Pacelli. Fedele Fischetti was born in Naples on March 30, 1732. His early work was strongly influenced by early eighteenth-century Roman painting, especially that of Pompeo Batoni. He translated it all into a Neapolitan style, therefore more decorative and airy. From this connection to the Roman pictorial world, many infer that he took a study trip that brought him to the Eternal City.  His first works, executed around 1760, decorate the Church of the Holy Spirit in Naples and depict the Fall of Simon Magus , the Fall of Saul , and the Presentation in the Temple . Shortly thereafter, he received an important commission: he was entrusted with the decoration of the Church of Santa Caterina in Naples. In this church, he painted not only the nave but also other scenes depicting episodes from the life of the Saint. His early works are marked by a strong classicism, which is why they caught the attention of Luigi Vanvitelli, who commissioned him to fresco several noble palaces. Furthermore, from 1771, again at Vanvitelli's suggestion, he began to join the team of painters who decorated the Royal Palace of Caserta. In his later years, in the 1790s, he adapted his expressive language to the new neoclassical demands, freeing himself from the bonds of tradition to create works of renewed intensity.

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