Polycrates’ Crucifixion (c. 1664)

Dated c. 1664, "Polycrates’ Crucifixion" is an artwork by Salvator Rosa. About the period around c. 1664: The seventeenth century is the age of the Baroque, which favoured dramatic light, movement, and strong emotion in the work of painters in Italy, Spain, and Flanders. In the Dutch Republic, a prosperous middle-class market supported landscapes, still lifes, portraits, and scenes of daily life painted at a modest scale for the home. The catalogue places it in Figurative. The format is landscape. Figurative in brief: Figurative art depicts people and recognisable scenes, and it has been central to European painting since antiquity. Over the centuries, painters have used the figure to express social standing, narrative, and emotion.

"Polycrates’ Crucifixion" is offered as a printable file (Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI) rather than a shipped item. You receive the files by email after payment and handle printing yourself, which gives you full control over paper, size, and finish. A landscape format suits wide, low wall spaces such as the stretch above a bed, mantel, or sideboard. Measuring the wall before choosing a size is the simplest way to avoid a print that feels too small or too large. Screens and printers render colour differently, so a small test print is a sensible way to check tones before committing to a large size. Matte and fine-art papers reduce glare in bright rooms, while glossy papers give stronger contrast and deeper blacks. Hang the print away from direct sunlight, which over the years can fade any printed colour.

Italian, 1615–1673

If you like the visual language of Salvator Rosa, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.