Description

The life and work of Giuseppe Nuvolone are closely linked to the Lombard environment, where he spent almost all his life. Son of art, he probably began his artistic training under the guidance of his father Panfilo and his brother Carlo Francesco, both painters. Although Giuseppe’s style has often been confused with that of his brother – given the close and constant collaboration during his early activity – studies have shown that the painter’s figures are more voluminous, vigorous, and characterised by a more marked expressiveness. After a flourishing period of activity in Milan, Nuvolone made a trip to Rome in 1667, which did not, however, cause him to develop an apparent interest in the peculiarities of Roman Baroque: his style will always remain linked to his Lombard formation. This adherence is well demonstrated in this painting of Lot and his family’s frantic escape from Sodom, escorted by the angel: the colours are soft and harmonious. The volumes are sculptural, and the gazes languid, almost pathetic. The profound narrative vein that distinguishes the painter’s style can be seen in many works of his maturity and the prestigious commissions from Cremona and Bergamo.

Bibl.: F. M. Ferro, Nuvolone, una famiglia di pittori nella Milano del ‘600, Cremona 2003, ad vocem.