Baldassarre De Caro (Naples, 1689 – 1750) Bird of prey captures a pigeon, turtle, frog and snake Oil on canvas, 50 x 76 cm Signed lower right: “BDCaro” Critical analysis by Prof. Alberto Crispo Born in 1689 in Naples, Baldassarre De Caro (Naples, 1689 – 1750) was primarily a painter of still lifes, game pieces, and floral compositions. According to the biographer Bernardo De Dominici (Lives of Neapolitan Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, Naples 1742, III, p. 577), he was a student of the artist Andrea Belvedere, "...from whom [Belvedere] first learned to paint flowers, of which he painted many highly natural pictures with freshness and mastery." Over time, De Caro's stylistic orientations underwent various changes under the influence of Dutch and Flemish painting models of the previous century (Otto Marseus van Schrieck, Jan Fyt, Frans Snyders, Abraham Bruegel) and the animalistic tendency of the later Giuseppe Recco, eventually favoring primarily rich groups of game as subjects. The pictorial style also changed its register, aligning itself with the dominant trends inspiring the production of Francesco Solimena's circle: dark colors, dense shadows alternating with bursts of light, heavy chromatic mixtures, twilight atmospheres. An extremely prolific painter, his style, still linked to the Spanish "bodegon" manner, was particularly appreciated and requested by the Neapolitan nobility of the 18th century and the Bourbon court, as evidenced by the numerous works preserved in the Neapolitan museums of Capodimonte and San Martino, the Royal Palace of Caserta, and the Correale Museum of Sorrento, the Cavestany collection in Madrid, as well as in various private collections.  The work under consideration, an oil on canvas signed “BDCaro” on a stone in the lower right, reproduces with extreme realism and skill every single detail, from the plumage of the bird of prey and the pigeon, to the shell of the turtle, to the slimy back of the frog. The composition, which develops horizontally, is characterized by a strong dynamism and a dark palette, with a strong predominance of brown, gray, and dark green. The artist's hand here decides to immortalize a moment of animal struggle: in a wild and wooded background lies the feathered corpse of a pigeon, on which the victorious bird of prey with outstretched wings fiercely stands with its claws. The majesty of this bird has meant that it has been adopted as a symbol since ancient times by the most varied cultures, assuming meanings related to power and victory, to triumph. Acting as witnesses are two other animals, expertly made, a turtle and a frog, the first a symbol of tenacity, resilience, strength, but also longevity, the second of fertility and metamorphosis, while on the right, partially covered by a bush, hides a snake coiled on itself. The canvas was originally designed as a pendant to another, also signed, depicting two birds of prey, dead birds and a snake, as can be seen from the records of the two paintings published in the catalog of the Fototeca Zeri in Bologna (nos. 87207 and 97206). With Ars Antiqua, it is possible to defer all amounts up to a maximum of €7,500 at ZERO RATE, for a total of 15 INSTALLMENTS. Ex. Tot. €4,500 = Monthly installment €300 for 15 months. Ex. Tot. €3,600 = Monthly installment €720 for 5 months. For amounts exceeding €7,500 or for a longer deferral period (over 15 installments), we can provide a customized payment plan. Contact us directly for the best quote. LIVE TV – SUNDAY 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM Dig.terr. 126 + 809 SKY – Streaming on our website www.arsantiquasrl.com and on our social media Facebook and Youtube All works offered by Ars Antiqua are sold with a certificate of authenticity in accordance with the law and a detailed in-depth sheet. You can see the works directly at the Milan showroom gallery, at Via Pisacane 55 and 57. We personally organize transportation and deliveries of the works, both for Italy and abroad.