17th Century, Italian Oil on Panel Painting Depicting Madonna della Purità

Pietro Bardellino (Italy - Naples, 1732 - 1806), attr., Sacred Heart of the Child Jesus Measurements: with frame, cm L 86 x H 99 x P 8; only the canvas, cm L 78 x H 64 The painting, made in oil on canvas, represents the Sacred Heart of the Child Jesus. Stylistically the work is attributable to Pietro Bardellino (Italy, Naples, 1732 - Naples, 1806), a pupil of Francesco De Mura and considered by critics one of the most gifted and sensitive exponents of the Rococo style in Naples. The canvas represents the Child Jesus, surrounded by flowers in an outdoor setting, while showing the sacred heart. The canvas has a well-balanced color and a strong sweetness of the child’s traits, which with the complicit gesture of the right hand, involves the viewer in the intimate and delicate sharing of the garden in which he sits. The roses, in addition to being a beautiful piece of still life, contribute to enrich the Christological message, being bearers of symbolic meanings. Marian attributes par excellence, are often side by side with Christ, whose thorns foreshadow the Passion. In the canvas, on the top left, two cherubim are observed: among them, according to the Old Testament, is God: the author therefore puts into place an iconographic and iconological hyperbole that amplifies its meaning. The iconographic theme of the Child Jesus with the Sacred Heart in his hand spread between the second half of the eighteenth century and the first of the following century. With the worship of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Catholic Church intends to honour the Heart of Jesus Christ, one of the organs symbolizing his humanity, which by intimate union with the Divinity, has the right to worship and love of the Saviour for men, of which His Heart is the symbol. It represents one of the fundamental devotions of Christian life, as it manifests the true face of God, who is prodigal and boundless love. It was the French mystic Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque...

19th century Roman painter Still life with cherubs, flower festoons and herma with faun Measures: Oil on canvas, cm H 78 x W 95 without frame Cm H 122.00 x W 106 x D 8 with frame. The work, painted in oil on canvas, octagonal in shape, represents a nature with three putti or cupids playing with flower festoons in a wooded environment in which is placed a herma with faun and, on the left, a large neoclassical marble vase...

Pier Francesco Cittadini (Milan, 1616-Bologna, 1681) "Jacob and his family go to Egypt" Oil on canvas, cm 109 x 190 (canvas only) The valuable painting, made in oil on canvas, depicts Jacob and his family go to Egypt and we believe it can be, given the high quality painting, autograph work of Italian Pier Francesco Cittadini (Italy Milan, 1616 - Bologna, 1681) made after 1647. The work, in excellent condition is accompanied by a coeval frame in wood finely carved and golden. The scene depicted, which was confused with the Flight to Egypt in the past years, is instead identified with the biblical episode of Jacob’s journey. In the foreground, reading the painting from left to right, we see a caravan composed of animals, including donkeys, dromedaries, goats, dogs and horses and people, women, men and slaves, who carry on their journey along the banks of a river, following a path that to the right, would seem to lead to the through of a bridge. In addition to the watercourse is described an environment characterized by large rocks and impervious come far to cover the entire verticality of the canvas. On the left, in the distance, we see the tail of the caravan that runs along the steep path. Large trees enliven and harmonize the environment, as well as white and grey clouds characterize the predominantly clear sky and illuminated on the right by sunlight. The story is told in the Bible, Book of Genesis, 30, 25, passage in which is described the flight of Jacob from Haran after the contrasts with Laban, father of his wife Rachel. Jacob is the third great patriarch of the Bible. From his descendants originate the twelve generations of the people of Israel. He is the son of Isaac and Rebekah, who led him to flee from the wrath of Esau to Haran to seek refuge from his brother, Laban. At his uncle’s house Jacob met his daughter Rachel. As soon as he saw his cousin, Jacob was taken. Jacob will stay seven years in the service of Laban to marry his beloved Rachel. But Laban, with a deception, will give him in marriage first Lia, the least beautiful eldest daughter, and only after another seven years the splendid Rachel. From his first wife he will have several children, while Rachel will give birth to the beloved son, Joseph, who will become viceroy of Egypt. After years of service, Jacob asked to be paid with every dark-coloured garment among the sheep and every spotted and dotted garment among the goats. Laban accepted and sent away from his sons all the leaders of that kind. So Jacob took fresh branches of poplar, almond and plane tree, and flayed them, and put them in the troughs. The optical suggestion induced the goats and the sheep to conceive and give birth to dark, striped and dotted garments. He also ensured that all the strongest and healthiest leaders of the flock of Laban would drink near the barked branches, thus assuring a genetic superiority to his part of the flock. His flocks grew numerous and strong and he became richer than his relative, arousing envy. It was clear that Laban would not respect him much longer. At the suggestion of the Lord, Jacob decided to return to Canaan. Trying to avoid any possible dispute, he left with his family while Laban was absent for shearing sheep. But when, three days later, his uncle returned home, he became angry, feeling offended because Jacob had gone secretly and had not allowed him to greet his daughters and grandchildren. In addition, his teraphim, statuettes, or idols, which depicted the family deities, had disappeared. After 7 days of pursuit, Laban and his men reached Jacob’s group on Mount Gilead, in the mountainous region west of the Euphrates River, where his uncle and grandson had a stormy conversation. The younger man was outraged at being accused of stealing idols and told Labano to rummage through his family’s tents at will. Neither of them could know or even imagine that it was Rachel who took the idols and hid them in the saddle of the camel. During the search, she sat down firmly on the saddle, apologizing for not being able to get up, «because I usually have what happens to women» (Gen 31:35). So the loot wasn’t discovered. The author of this work was inspired by the composition of an engraving by Stefano Della Bella (1610-1664) of circa 1647. The engraving by Stefano della Bella bears the title "Iacob sur ses vieux jours quitte sans fascherie pour voir son filz Ioseph, sa terre et sa patrie" and is signed on the bottom left "Stef. of the Beautiful In. et fe." while on the right it is declared "Cum privil. Regis", that is with license of the king. Stefano Della Bella (Italy - Florence, May 18, 1610-Florence, July 12, 1664) was born in a family of painters, sculptors and goldsmiths and was left early orphan of his father sculptor, he dedicated himself first to the art of goldsmith at the school of Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione and Gasparo Mola, then turning his attention to drawing and engraving. He soon began drawing figures and copying the etchings of Jacques Callot, which inspired his early works. Under the protection of the Medici, in particular of Don Lorenzo, cadet son of Grand Duke Ferdinand I, Della Bella has the opportunity to make study trips to Rome, where he stayed from 1633-1636; In Rome he met French engravers and publishers of prints such as Israël Henriet and François Langlois, who influenced his decision to move to Paris in 1639, four years after the death of Callot. In Paris he soon reached, thanks to the engravings commissioned by Cardinal Richelieu, the success also worldly; he frequented courtiers, theatre artists and writers, while refusing too oppressive honors. In 1646-1647 he continued his travels in the Netherlands to Amsterdam, Antwerp and Dordrecht. He returned to Florence in 1650 and resumed working under the protection of the Medici court, working for his patrons. In 1656 he became a member of the Academy of Apatists. The painting object of this study is reasonably attributable to Pier Francesco Cittadini, or Pierfrancesco Cittadini, called the Milanese or the Franceschino (Italy - Milan, 1616-Bologna, 1681) as some exemplary stylistic comparisons proposed to follow can prove. Pier Francesco Cittadini was an Italian baroque painter, mainly active in Bologna. His artistic training first took place with the painter Daniele Crespi...

Frans Franken III and aid, Adoration of the Magi Good condition The oil painting on wood, with a gold background, depicts an Adoration of the Magi. The Magi are dressed in sumptuous silk and brocade dresses; they wear precious hats and jewelery. The richness of their garments is in contrast with the humility of the Holy Family and of the other characters who, around curious, observe the scene. The hut is simple, made of wood and straw: above it shines the Comet, symbol of the divine event. In the distance, a group of wayfarers walk along a path that is lost on the horizon, blending into the gold of the bottom. The representation proposes a traditional iconography, in which the painter inserts some details that he lends himself to symbolic interpretations. Among these is the appearance of the Magi, who from the XIVth century differs iconographically: the wise astronomers represent the homage to Jesus of the then known parts of the world, namely Africa, Asia and Europe. To the right of the Magi, in the foreground, sits a monkey, considered a demonic creature and a symbol of lies and sin. It is depicted on the sidelines, as a defeat, next to a fragment of a classical column: ruin alludes to the end of paganism, of the old world that collapses with the advent of the new one, marked by the birth of Christ and liberation from the Original Sin. On the ruins he climbs the ivy, symbol of the immortality of the soul. The work is attributable to the workshop of the Flemish painter Frans Francken III...

An 18th-century Italian Renaissance oil painting of Our Lady of Peace, depicting Mary in red and green robes holding the Christ Child and a white dove. Against a dark, atmospheric ba...

Beautiful oil painting on canvas, made on the first canvas and framed with a contemporary rectangular frame in carved and gilded wood. The painting represents a striking image of the...

A rare 16th-century Italian painting. An oil on panel painting depicting a refined Madonna with Child, this artwork is of extraordinary pictorial quality. The most popular iconograph...

17th century, Tuscan school Madonna and Child Oil on canvas, 31 x 21 cm With frame, cm 37,5 x 27,5 The pearly incarnations and the thoughtful play of looks between the Virgin, turned to the Son, and Questi, warmly open to the viewer, pour out the present painting with compositional perfection. Virginal fabrics become mottled at the folds, wrapping the Madonna in a thin vitreous mantle. The pastel colors, shining on the pink robe just tightened at the waist by a gold cord, enliven the faces of the divine couple in correspondence of the cheeks, lit by an orange warmth. Even the left hand of the Virgin, composed in perfect classical pose (Botticelli, Madonna with Child, 1467, Musée du Petit Palais, Avignon), is sprinkled with warmth thanks to the immediate touch with Christ. From the nimbus of the Mother a delicate luminous disk is effused, which takes back, in the most distant rays, the colour of the hair of the Son, from the tones of the sun. The Child Jesus is represented intent in a tender gesture of invitation with the right hand, while with the other he offers a universal blessing: with his hand he retracts the index and annular palms, extending the remaining three fingers, symbol of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The painting welcomes and re-elaborates that typically Tuscan formalism that boasted in the rest of Italy the constant appreciation by the most up-to-date artists and collectors. Arrangement, composition and mixing of colors place the canvas in the middle between the changing mannerist and the sculptural figures of Michelangelo, essential yardstick of comparison in terms of anatomical and expressionistic rendering. In the present, silvery and pinkish powders act as three-dimensional inducers to the Child’s mentioned musculature and to the vivid folds of the clothes, expertly deposited on the lunar whiteness of the skins. While these colours recall the equally brilliantly transparent colours of Pier Francesco Foschi...