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by Giovanni Battista Salvi, known as Sassoferrato, Praying Madonna
19thC

$2,637.25List Price

About the Item

19th century, by Giovanni Battista Salvi, known as Sassoferrato (Sassoferrato, 1609 - Rome, 1685) Praying Madonna Oil on canvas, 44 x 54 cm Framed, 88 x 60 cm Giovanni Battista Salvi, better known as Il Sassoferrato, named after his hometown in the Marche region of Italy, was a peculiar figure in the artistic landscape of seventeenth-century Italy. Born on August 25, 1609, he was distinguished by a style that, while set in the Baroque period, looked with deep reverence and admiration to Renaissance classicism, particularly the art of Raphael and Perugino. His artistic training began in the workshop of his father, Tarquinio Salvi, also a painter. Although precise information about his youth is scarce, it is plausible that he received a solid grounding in the Umbrian-Marchigiano environment, where the Renaissance tradition was still very much felt. Later, he moved to Rome, the pulsating center of art and culture of his time. Here, it is speculated that he had contact with masters of the time such as Domenichino and Guido Reni, while always maintaining his own strong stylistic independence. Sassoferrato specialized mainly in religious subjects, with a particular fondness for images of the Virgin Mary. His Madonne Oranti, often depicted in moments of deep devotion and contemplation, became his most recognizable stylistic signature. These works are characterized by extraordinary formal purity, an almost porcelain-like smoothness of surfaces, and meticulous attention to detail. The faces of his Madonnas are often idealized, with expressions of serene beauty and deep spirituality, evoking a sense of calm and transcendence. Unlike many of his Baroque contemporaries, who favored dynamism, theatricality, and drama, Il Sassoferrato pursued a more sober and contemplative beauty. His compositions are often simple and balanced, with a harmonious use of color and clear, diffuse light that enhances the figures. This stylistic choice of his, at times almost "anachronistic" for the seventeenth century, earned him both admiration and, in later eras, some criticism for an alleged lack of originality or inventiveness. Nevertheless, Il Sassoferrato enjoyed considerable success and his works were in high demand, especially by private and religious patrons eager for pious and reassuring images. Giovanni Battista Salvi died in Rome on August 8, 1685. His artistic legacy is significant for his ability to keep alive a classical tradition in an era dominated by the Baroque, offering an alternative of grace and devotion that has continued to fascinate and move for centuries. Our painting constitutes a 19th-century version of Sassoferrato's well-known Madonna Orante preserved at the Galleria Colonna in Rome. Sassoferrato's visual fortunes in the nineteenth century were driven by several factors. At a time when spirituality and the search for transcendent values remained central to large sections of society, his praying Madonnas and sacred subjects perfectly embodied an ideal of pure and unaltered devotion. Their expressions of serene contemplation, the almost ethereal perfection of their complexions and the clarity of their colors responded to a desire for ideal beauty and spiritual reassurance, in contrast to the turbulence and rapid social changes of the time. Moreover, his adherence to a classicist language, albeit with restrained baroque influences, made him particularly appealing to the Neoclassical taste that dominated much of the early 19th century. The clarity of his compositions, formal balance and harmony of line were in keeping with the principles of order and reason advocated by this current. Although the Baroque had been overshadowed for long periods, Sassoferrato's exceptionalism and refinement positioned him outside the strictest classifications, allowing him to be appreciated even by those who sought a more restrained and sober beauty. Another key aspect was his prolific production of small works and copies, particularly of his famous Madonnas. These smaller-format works were easily accessible and spread widely among private collectors, both aristocrats and emerging bourgeois, and in churches. Their reproducibility and ability to immediately evoke a sense of piety made them ideal for domestic devotion and for decorating private rooms, helping to spread its iconography widely. His work was also extolled by critics and art historians who, in the context of a reevaluation of the Italian seventeenth century, were able to recognize in Sassoferrato an artist of refined sensitivity and deep faith. His ability to infuse sincere emotion and pristine beauty into his sacred subjects elevated him above many of his grander but perhaps less intimate contemporaries.

Creation Year:
19thC
Dimensions:
Height: 44 in (111.76 cm)Width: 54 in (137.16 cm)
More Editions & Sizes:
cm 44 x 54Price: $2,637
Medium:
Canvas,Oil
After:
Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato (1609 - 1685, Italian)
Period:
19th Century
Condition:
Gallery Location:
Milan, IT
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU2639216608182

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by Giovanni Battista Salvi, known as Sassoferrato, Praying Madonna
19thC

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