Lot 25: Domenico Antonio Vaccaro (Naples 1678-1745)

Domenico Antonio Vaccaro (Naples 1678-1745)
Archimedes demonstrating his invention to King Hieron of Syracuse; and The Death of Archimedes
oil on panel
7¾ x 7 5/8 in. (19.7 x 19.5 cm.) each
a pair

Anonymous sale; Christie's, London, 1 August 1961, lot 197, as 'Rosa'.
with Paul Ganz, New York, from whom purchased by
Prof. Julius S. Held.

The subject of each panel is painted inside a circle which is surrounded by Roman numerals, indicating the hours of a clock.

The first painting represents the story of Archimedes and King Hieron of Syracuse. Plutarch describes how Archimedes constructed a machine which enabled him to effortlessly pull ships on land. Here a child is shown turning the handle to demonstrate just how easily it can be done. The second painting depicts the death of Archimedes, who defends a mathematical equation during the siege of Syracuse, while a soldier of Marcellus is about to strike him down.

Stylistically, both paintings belong to the beginning of the eighteenth century. The attribution to Vaccaro was first suggested by Mr. Ian Kennedy (private communiaction with Julius Held, 18 June 1981).