Mary Magdalene, Seventeenth-century Roman school, circle of Francesco Trevisani (Capodistria 1656 – Rome 1746)

Seventeenth-century Roman school – Circle of Francesco Trevisani (Capodistria 1656 – Rome 1746)
Maria maddalena
oil on canvas 100 x 81 cm. (with frame 112 x 92 cm.)

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The protagonist of the work is a seductive Saint Mary Magdalene, semi-naked to remember her past as a sinner, with her long hair with blond reflections that fall over her body covering her breasts, and her gaze full of emotion turned towards the sky, to evoke the repentance. Next to her the skull, the cross and the open book, the three canonical symbols of her iconography.
She is depicted in a penitent attitude, with her hands clasped in prayer and absorbed in meditation, but at the same time characterized by an overwhelming femininity, enhanced by her semi-nudity, dressed only in a cloth softly supported by her arms.
She is therefore portrayed with the typical ambivalence between the sacred and the profane that identifies her figure, in a perfect balance between the sensuality of the sinner and her spiritual asceticism in repentance.
Although the canvas is still undergoing in-depth study, it is not difficult to grasp the superb mastery of its author, active around the end of the seventeenth century, from which we can deduce a drawing culture of Roman origin, in which French and also Venetian echoes converge.
On the basis of these considerations, combined with characteristics such as the precision of the design, the extraordinary laying of the surfaces, almost enamelled, and the clear color definition, we are inclined to trace our work back to the hand of Francesco Trevisani and his circle (1656 – 1746 ). In particular, there are strong analogies with the work of the master, a fundamental reference for many artists of the second half of the seventeenth century in Rome and an object of study and inspiration still relevant in the eighteenth century.
The elegant ease of touch and the sensual refinement typical of Trevisani, combined with a very accurate chiaroscuro rendering, inherited from his artistic training in Venice, and the exceptional sweetness of the drawing, the floridity of the complexion, and finally, the peculiar pose of the portrayed figure (the unmistakable beauty of the two clasped hands), further support our attribution.
From the dark nocturnal background, a light is released aimed at centralizing the Saint, illuminating her face and body: this is how the perfectly studied luminous rendering brings out the shapes of her body, modeled to enhance her exuberant sensuality.
The conditions of the painting are excellent.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The painting is sold complete with a pleasant frame, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and descriptive iconographic card.
We take care of and organize the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers.
Contact us for any information, we will be happy to answer you. It is also possible to see the painting in the gallery in Riva del Garda, we will be happy to welcome you to show you our collection of works.

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