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Allegory of the Four Parts of the World

Artist Francesco Solimena (Italian, 1657–1747)
Title Allegory of the Four Parts of the World
Date 1738
Medium Oil on canvas
Dimensions Framed: 99 x 67 1/2 in. (251.5 x 171.5 cm)
Overall: 72 1/2 x 50 in. (184.2 x 127 cm)
Credit Line Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Henry R. Hope, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University
Accession Number 74.83

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About this Work

The Neapolitan clergy, aristocracy, and royal family prized Francesco Solimena’s monumental, elegant style. He was commissioned to decorate the nuptial chamber of the royal palace in Naples on the occasion of the marriage of King Charles III of Naples to Maria Amalia of Saxony in 1738. This painting formed part of the decorative program. In this allegorical work, four figures represent the continents of Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas, with Europe and Christianity dominating the scene. The figure symbolizing Europe is elevated on a throne and receives symbols of the Catholic Church—Saint Peter’s keys and the papal tiara—from a group of angels hovering beside her.


Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Allegory of the Four Parts of the World | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=74.83