Domenico Fiasella, called Il Sarzana (1589 – 1669) and his pupil Giovanni Battista Casoni (1610- 1686), Diana and Endymion, 1640, Oil on canvas, 184x 235 cm, Palazzo Spinola, Genoa
In the past, the painting was misattributed to Luca Giordano (1634-1705), but archival evidence in Genoa has confirmed it to be the work of Domenico Fiasella, with contributions from his student and brother-in-law, Giovanni Battista Casoni. Commissioned by Agostino Pallavicino, a major local art patron of the era, this painting was part of a series of three secular love scenes, including Rinaldo and Armida and Tancredi with Clorinda.
Fiasella painted the figures of Diana and Endymion, while Casoni added the amorini (small, winged cupids), illustrating their collaborative approach. The composition employs chiaroscuro, creating a soft, candlelit atmosphere that captures Diana’s loving gaze as she watches over the sleeping Endymion. This play of light and shadow enhances the emotional depth, aligning with Baroque art’s focus on drama and sensuality.
The iconography draws from Greco-Roman mythology, depicting Diana as both goddess of the hunt and moon. Her crescent crown, along with her bow and arrow, signify her divine authority, while her tender gaze reveals a rare vulnerability. The amorini symbolise divine love, and sleeping dogs at Endymion’s feet convey loyalty, adding a sense of peace to the scene.
In the myth, the powerful goddess fell in love with the mortal Endymion, whose beauty the gods preserved by granting him eternal sleep. Diana descends to watch over him each night, captivated by his youthful beauty and serenity. Her crescent crown symbolises her celestial nature, and Endymion’s slumber represents purity and innocence, making him an idealised and unattainable object of Diana’s affection. This portrayal encapsulates the theme of unattainable love, a central motif in Baroque art.
