Ascanio Luciano

[1] Luciano was a specialist of architectural paintings, capricci, compositions with figures among ruins, and some vedute.

For instance, in the Christ and the adultress (private collection) some art historians see the hand of Luca Giordano or Giuseppe Simonelli while others ascribe the work entirely to Luciano.

[3] The type of decorative architectural paintings that Luciano created represents a genre that became popular in mid-17th century Rome.

Architectural canvases were particularly welcome within the typical 17th-century decorative ensemble, where walls were completely covered with paintings of various types and sizes.

The architectural piece lent variety to such ensembles by introducing the strong verticals and horizontals of its subject matter.

[8] Luciano's style combined genre aspects with the elegance of Classicism, ennobled by sumptuous fancy architectures.

[8] Luciano also occasionally depicted in his architectural settings scenes from the Bible including The Massacre of the Innocents and Christ Expelling the Money-changers from the Temple.

In the early 18th century Bernardo de' Dominici considered Luciano a 'mediocre perspective painter but fortunate in his time who could demand a high price for touching up paintings'.