‘The Good Samaritan’ traditionally attributed to Luca Giordano

Sent by Anonymous the 07/16/10

The work that we are about to examine has a lot in common with the painting by Paolo de Matteis (Cilento, Naples, 1662 – Naples, 1728) previously analyzed in this section as both are directly related to the great master Luca Giordano (Naples, 1634 – 1704). Oil on canvas, measuring 155 x 128 cm, and representing the theme of The Good Samaritan, it belongs to a private collection in Rome.

The painting, previously considered as Giordano’s work, shows all the features characteristic of the great Neapolitan painter. The existence of another version of the painting at the Civic Museum in Prato, though in horizontal format, allowed us to attribute it to its true author, Nicola Malinconico (Naples, 1663 – 1721). The determining factor that supported the attribution was found after the recent cleaning of the painting; old, oxidised varnish layers were removed together with some repainting at the inferior part of the canvas, revealing the painter’s signature “NICOLO/MALINCONICO”. Fortunately, discoveries of this kind, both fascinating and rewarding, are not uncommon and they corroborate the importance and crucial role of the restorer in the History of Art. 

Nicola Malinconico started his career as a painter with his father Andrea Malinconico (Naples, 1624 – 1698), who painted religious themes and was a disciple of Máximo Stanzione (Orta di Atella, 1585 – Naples, 1656). Later, while he was still young, he joined the workshop of the Neapolitan still-life painter, specialized in flowers, Andrea Belvedere (Naples, 1642 – 1732). He completed his training as disciple of Luca Giordanno. It was, above all, the great master’s final period that marked mature Malinconico’s style of painting. Owing to his dependence on Giordano, many of his paintings were attributed to his master.

The theme depicted on this canvas is one of the most important parables of Jesus, only told in the Gospel of Saint Luke (X, 30-37). It recounts the moment when the Samaritan comes to the aid of a man who was robbed, injured and beaten. In this manner, Mainconico resolves one of the most important Christian messages:” thou shalt love your neighbour as thyself”. The old and experienced Samaritan delicately heals the wounds of the young man’s athletic and contented body. The horizontal painting at the Prato museum allows the introduction in the background of a priest and the Levite who did not attend to the needs of the wounded man.

In the execution of the painting, Malinconico was once again inspired by Luca Giordano; more specifically, he derives it from the composition with identical subject matter which is kept at the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Rouen. The loose, energetic and vibrant brush-stroke grants dynamism to the composition and reveals its giordanesque inspiration as well as the harmony in the effects of light and intense colours.

With regard to the issue of dating, both versions were carried out before 1706, because it when the artist started to sign with the title of Conte, conferred by the pope Clement XI. The version of the museum in Prato was signed with “Cav.Nic. Malinconico”, coming from “Cavaliere” and therefore it must be posterior to the one examined here, which bears no honorary title. Owing to its vertical format, the canvas of the Roman private collection is similar in style and composition to Saint Rosalia the Hermitesse, painted for the Palermo Cathedral and dating from the first decade of the XVIII century. Both canvases are similar in technique to the late Giordano, who died in 1705.

Malinconico’s production also includes the genre of still life with flowers in the manner of Andrea Belvedere; these paintings, scarcer and much sought after, can exceed the value of 100.000 €. Malinconico showed more skill when depicting flowers than figures in The Good Samaritan, although he reached an extraordinary quality comparable to his master’s. The painting is in perfect state of conservation and its estimate price is between 50.000 and 60.000 euros.