Page 14 - Luca Giordano - Liberation of St Peter
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LIBERATION D E LI V E RA N C E
IN 17TH CENTURY NAPLES
uca Giordano painted his Liberation of St Peter in of themes of liberation and redemption, of divine inter-
vention and the triumph of light over dark, in the art of
L the hectic years, of celebration and thanksgiv- 17th century Naples. Naples had a particularly strong
ing, that followed the end of the plague that had bond with Peter, for it was believed that the Apostle had
devastated Naples in 1656.The story is told in himself visited the city and there founded an early Christian
Acts 12; 6-10. Herod, having killed James by the sword, community.
planned to execute Peter;
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‘Peter therefore was kept in prison but prayer was made
without ceasing of the church unto God for him.And when I n the early years of the seventeenth century Naples,
Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter the most populous urban centre in Italy, was one of the
was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: marvels of Europe. Part of the vast domains of the Spanish
and the keepers before the door kept the prison.And behold king, it was ruled by a succession of Spanish Viceroys,
the angel of the Lord came upon [him], and a light shined many of whom were lavish and cultivated patrons of the
in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised arts.The Neapolitan nobles were compelled to live within
him up,saying,Arise up quickly.And his chains fell off from the walls, as within a gilded cage, and their ostentatious
[his] hands.And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and palaces, their pride symbolised by heavily rusticated por-
bind on thy sandals.And so he did.And he saith unto him, ticoes and massive heraldic shields, rapidly transformed
Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.’ the city from mediaeval to baroque. In the nobility’s wake
Peter at first thought that he was seeing a vision, but, came family and retainers, and crowds of merchants and
after the iron gates had opened to him of their own accord, artisans from all over Europe; an astonishing variety of
he knew that the ‘Lord hath sent his angel’. ethnicities gathered, with courtiers from all over western
Europe. The Castel Sant’Elmo, the emblem of Spanish
The subject of St Peter’s delivery had an immense sym- power, loomed over the city, where the power of Spain
bolic and metaphoric power. It brought together themes was everywhere visible; by its side, a twin source of power,
dear to Catholic reformation spirituality, the sudden call stood the vast convent of San Martino, gleaming with
to God, the freeing from the darkness of this world and coloured marble. Both the ceremonial surrounding the
from the bonds of sin, and the power of prayer, whilst the Viceroys, and the festivals of the church, created a theatri-
composition, with the guards awakened from sleep, cal and dramatic atmosphere, of rich colours and light
suggests the Resurrection of Christ and the redemption of
humankind.This essay explores the particular importance
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