The history of art has known many rebels, but none quite like the 17th-century Italian painter Salvator Rosa (1615–1673). Fiercely independent and powerfully inventive, he charmed noble and princely patrons only to spurn them; he explored dark and brooding subjects that ran counter to mainstream tastes; and he risked numerous enemies with his biting satirical poems. Through it all, he created some of the most evocative paintings of his age—landscapes, fanciful portraits, scenes of witchcraft and magic, altarpieces, and subjects derived from classical literature. He is most widely known for his landscapes, with their craggy ravines, crumbling towers, and suggestive light effects, but there is much more to Rosa, as this exhibition demonstrates with 36 of his best paintings, covering all his favorite genres. This is the first major exhibition of his art held in the United States.

Salvator Rosa: Bandits, Wilderness, and Magic