san giorgio e il drago 

Curator: Looking at Salvator Rosa’s work, "San Giorgio e il Drago", I'm immediately struck by its raw energy. It's chaotic, almost brutal. Editor: The way Rosa seems to wrestle with his medium here reflects the instability of 17th century Italy. Think about it, he was actively critiquing political and artistic conventions! The use of oil paint here, heavily applied, becomes a tool of rebellion in itself. Curator: But rebellion against what? There's such a well-worn iconography to the St. George story itself. He's slaying a dragon, saving the princess, upholding the moral and social order... how does Rosa subvert this with paint? Editor: Exactly, by highlighting the labor of production, Rosa creates something ambiguous! The scene becomes more about the physical act of creation, the toil involved in constructing even this heroic narrative. That raw handling of the oil subverts the smoothness expected of high art and implicates art production in everyday toil. Curator: So, instead of polished heroism, we have struggle. Acknowledging art as labor certainly demystifies it, makes it relatable to broader audiences experiencing economic uncertainty at the time. Rosa presented alternative forms of artistic patronage beyond Rome and the traditional systems. How does this specific rendering shape its meaning then? Editor: For Rosa, myth wasn't simply a thing of the past but an active site of reinterpretation through the material application of paint. The lack of firm outlines makes this a rather unique history painting! It almost becomes like a performance of doubt about what art should stand for, which also had an effect in its public reception. People knew this painter didn't represent an elitist group. Curator: Rosa does bring a particular intensity. It forces a rethinking of how painters are aligned or misaligned with societal powers. Editor: It's precisely how Rosa uses oil paints that he makes a statement beyond mere representation, engaging social, cultural, and political contexts. It prompts us to investigate beyond appearances into material reality. Curator: Absolutely. A story retold through active materiality. Editor: Ultimately questioning power structures, indeed!