Potenza – Naples
15 May 2025
210 km
HISTORICAL NOVEL OF THE DAY
Although, obviously, there are many novels (both set in the past and in our present) are set in and around Naples, I pick Pompeii by Robert Harris for this occasion. Set before and during the infamous erruption of Mont Vesuvius which destroyed Pompeii in 78 AD, this historical thriller is about a young engineer who try to solve the problem (also involuntarily save the world) while navigating in a corrupt society.
ITALIAN PAINTING OF THE DAY
Jusepe de Ribera (1591-1652), whose nickname was Lo Spagnoletto ( the little Spaniard") was a Spanish-born painter and printmaker who became one of the most prominent figures in the Neapolitan Baroque movement.
Ribera is best known for his dramatic use of chiaroscuro—the intense contrast between light and shadow—a style heavily influenced by Caravaggio. His paintings often depict religious martyrs, philosophers, and scenes of suffering, rendered with raw realism and emotional intensity. Unlike idealized depictions common in earlier art, Ribera’s figures often show the gritty textures of age, pain, and spiritual struggle.
Ribera had a profound influence on Neapolitan artists, forming part of a powerful artistic circle. Though his fame waned after his death, modern critics have reassessed his work, recognizing him as a master of psychological depth and technical brilliance. His legacy lives on in both Spanish and Italian Baroque traditions.