Saint John the Baptist

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Ferrau Fenzoni
Saint John the Baptist
1590

About the Item

The present painting depicts Saint John the Baptist in the wilderness. The story of John the Baptist is told in the Gospels. John was the cousin of Jesus, and his calling was to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah. He lived in the wilderness of Judea between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, "his raiment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey." He baptized Jesus in the Jordan, and was eventually killed by Herod Antipas when he called upon the king to reform his evil ways. John is frequently shown in Christian art. In the present picture he is identifiable by his bowl and the locusts, the camel's skin and the “Ecce (agnus dei)” on the banderole around the reed cross. The painting resembles the composition of an engraving after Ferraù Fenzoni by Francesco Villamena. Engraving and painting are almost identical, except for minor differences. Even the measurements nearly correspond: painting (32 x 25,5 cm), engraving (31,1 x 23,5 cm). The inscription on the engraving reads: „Ferra Fensionius inventor/F. Villamoena sculpsit Rome/Aspectu fruitur… antra puer/cum Privilegio… 1613”. Interestingly, the engraving is not mirrored as it is in most printing processes. Painting and engraving are not reversed but the same. This means that either the engraving was created after the painting and that there was an exact instruction by the artist or that the painting was made after the engraving. The inscription on the engraving only tells us that Fenzoni was the „inventor“, but this could also mean that he drew a sketch for the engraving and that he later executed the painting. However the usual artistic practice was firstly the drawing of sketches; secondly the creation of the painting and finally the design of the engraving, following the composition of the painting. It is interesting to note in this context that there are further paintings by Fenzoni which were engraved in the same order and not reverted. They also show strong parallels regarding the compositions and the measurements (see for example “Deposition of Christ” ). Dr. Guiseppe Scavizzi confirmed the attribution to Fenzoni on the basis of a photograph and he dates it to c. 1590. Ferraù Fenzoni was an Italian painter mainly active in Todi. He is also called Il Faenzone after his birthplace (Faenza). He apprenticed in Rome during the papacy of Gregory XIII and contributed to numerous fresco cycles under pope Sixtus V, such as the Loggia della Benedizioni in the Lateran Palace, the frescoes on the walls and vaults of the Scala Santa of the adjacent Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, and the decoration in the Sistine library. His expressive canvases straddle the styles of Mannerism and Baroque. In 1594, he moved to Todi. A “Last Judgement” by him is housed in the cathedral of Todi. He returned to Faenza in 1599, where he decorated chapels in the cathedral from 1612 to 1616. In 1622, he completed a “Deposition”, now in the local Pinacoteca. In 1640, Fenzoni was named “cavaliere dello speron d’oro” by Cardinal Colonna and, on 25th April 1634, he was nominated vicar and “castellano of Granarolo”. Fenzoni‘s style is characterized by a mixture of the Mannerism of the Northern Netherlands (e.g. Goltzius) and the Italian Baroque. Works by Ferraù Fenzoni are on display in Italy, e.g. in Rome, Todi and Faenza.

Creator:
Ferrau Fenzoni (1562 - 1645, Italian)
Creation Year:
1590
Dimensions:
Height: 10.04 in (25.5 cm)Width: 12.6 in (32 cm)
Medium:
Canvas,Oil
Period:
18th Century and Earlier
Condition:
The painting is has been gently cleaned and there are minor spots of old retouchings. See also the x-ray image.
Gallery Location:
Greven, DE
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU446118284

Saint John the Baptist

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