Brief Biography-Aniello Falcone, born in Naples, was also known as L’Oracolo Della Battaglie, or The Oracle of Battles. He was a master of Salvator Rosa, who later worked with the Austrian artist Johannes Anton Eismann; these artists were Battaglista, a Battaglista is a ‘painter of battle,’ of which Falcone was considered the first.
Falcone studied under José de Ribera and quickly achieved success throughout Europe. He founded a large school in Naples where the occupying Spanish killed a nephew of one of his pupils. That event led to the formation of a group known as ‘The Company of Death.’ They aimed to kill all Spaniards in Naples. Rosa was amongst the group when it disbanded, and he and Falcone left hastily for Rome. Falcone made a trip to Paris, where he did commissions for Louis XIV before returning to Naples. Falcone also painted religious works and was a successful draughtsman. Unfortunately, he supposedly died of the plague in Naples.