Allegory with an equestrian monument, Minerva and Neptune
1653 [-] 1713
![Allegory with an equestrian monument, Minerva and Neptune by Giuseppe Passeri, 1653 [-] 1713](https://www.thequadro.com/api/storage/artworks/thumb/l/giuseppe-passeri/giuseppe-passeri_allegory-with-an-equestrian-monument-minerva-and-neptune_25bfaacb)
Giuseppe Passeri, a leading Roman painter of the late Baroque, created this dynamic sketch as a preparatory study, likely for a grand monument or fountain. The composition bursts with energy: a crowned ruler on a rearing horse perches precariously atop a rocky outcrop, while below, a muscular Neptune thrusts his trident upward and a serene Minerva sits calmly with an olive branch. The warm reddish-brown tones and loose strokes show the artist working out the complex interaction between royal authority and mythological power before committing to a final masterpiece.