18th century, circle of Francesco Zuccarelli (Pitigliano, 1702 – Florence, 1788) The Banquet of Jupiter and Juno Oil on canvas, 70 x 110 cm With frame, 90 x 128 cm In the splendid 18th century, a century of Rococo grace and the rediscovery of nature, Francesco Zuccarelli (1702-1788) emerges as one of the most appreciated and influential landscape painters, capable of enchanting European courts and aristocracy with his idyllic and harmonious visions. His career, full of travels and successes, led him to move between the nerve centers of the art of his time, leaving an indelible mark especially in Venice and London. Born in Pitigliano, in the province of Grosseto, on August 15, 1702, Zuccarelli began his artistic training in Tuscany, first in Florence in the workshop of Paolo Anesi. Subsequently, he moved to Rome, where he furthered his studies with Giovanni Maria Morandi and Pietro Nelli. It was in the Eternal City that Zuccarelli decisively approached the genre of landscape painting, assimilating the lessons of the great masters of the seventeenth century, in particular Claude Lorrain. From them, he learned to construct scenes immersed in a golden and timeless light, with a compositional balance that would become one of his stylistic signatures. It is here that his "Arcadian world" begins to take shape, made up of idealized natures and figures that populate a lost golden age. His career took a decisive turn when he moved to Venice. Here, Zuccarelli quickly integrated into the dynamic artistic environment of the lagoon, which saw the flourishing of vedutismo and a taste for idyllic landscapes. In this context, he entered into competition and dialogue with other important landscape painters, such as Giuseppe Zais, contributing to defining the visual language of eighteenth-century Venetian landscape. His painting, characterized by a serene atmosphere and a meticulous attention to detail, began to enjoy great success. However, it was England that consecrated him internationally. In 1752, Francesco Zuccarelli settled in London, where he found a particularly receptive environment for his art. The wealthy English patrons, eager to bring the charm of Italy and the beauty of its landscapes into their homes, welcomed him with enthusiasm. Zuccarelli quickly became one of the most sought-after artists, and his works, which often immortalized Italian landscapes populated by bucolic figures and classical ruins, became a symbol of the Grand Tour and Rococo taste. His influence was such that he inspired numerous local artists, including the famous Joshua Reynolds. During his almost two decades of residence in England, Zuccarelli was not only a successful painter: he was also among the founding members of the prestigious Royal Academy in 1768, testifying to his prestige and influence in the British art scene. He also carried out important commissions, such as a series of tapestries for Charles Wyndham, II Earl of Egremont. After an initial return to Venice, Zuccarelli returned to London in 1765 and remained there until 1773, when he made his definitive return to Italy, now rich and admired. He settled in Florence, his city of training, where he continued to work tirelessly until his death on December 30, 1788. Zuccarelli's works are scattered in numerous collections and museums around the world, with a significant presence in England, testifying to the vast production created for British patronage. Among his most famous canvases are landscapes with mythological or biblical figures, pastoral scenes with shepherds and animals, and views of the Roman or Venetian countryside, all permeated by a clear light and a feeling of harmony and serenity. Zuccarelli was an artist who knew how to interpret and shape the taste of his time, creating a genre of landscape that evoked an ideal world, where nature and man lived in perfect harmony. His ability to blend the beauty of the landscape with the narration of small scenes of life or ancient myths makes him an essential protagonist of the European eighteenth century. This interesting Banquet of Jupiter and Juno is very close to Zuccarelli's painting: the pastel tones and Arcadian atmospheres are taken from the painter of Tuscan origins, which look not only to the tradition of the Italian Rococo but also to the transalpine suggestions of Poussin and Lorrain. The fluid brushstroke and the quick and defined touch are also reminiscent of the most representative works of Zuccarelli's activity. The Banquet of Jupiter and Juno is a recurring and fascinating iconographic theme in the art of different eras, which depicts the couple of gods of Olympus gathered in a festive banquet, often accompanied by other deities, Muses and nymphs, as well as music, dances and abundance of food and nectar. In the painting under examination, Jupiter can be identified at one end of the table, distinguished by a thick white beard, and his consort Juno, wrapped in a refined red cloak, at the other extreme. Following are Ganymede, visible in the foreground with a green tunic, and Hebe, placed on the right side in the act of offering a dish to the diners. The scene is enriched by the presence of nine Muses, some of whom carry musical instruments such as the harp and lyre, as well as garlands of flowers. The composition is completed by the three nymphs placed on the left side of the canvas, one of whom holds a plate full of fruit, one is kneeling and the other is depicted in an upper position.