Antonio Molinari (Venice 1655 – Venice 1704) – Last Supper.

Antonio Molinari (Venice 1655 – Venice 1704) – Last Supper.

89 x 151 cm without frame, 114 x 173 cm with frame.

Oil on canvas, in a carved and gilded wooden frame.

– We thank Prof. Alberto Craievich for having orally confirmed the attribution of the painting.

Condition report: Lined canvas. Good state of conservation of the pictorial surface.

Antonio Molinari (1655-1704) was a great interpreter of the late Venetian Baroque, a protagonist in laying the foundations for the future transition of the lagoon taste towards the more elegant and decorative solutions of the eighteenth century.

He was a pupil of Antonio Zanchi (1631-1722), famous for his dramatic and theatrical style, which greatly influenced his training and with whom he shared a passion for dynamic compositions rich in chiaroscuro. However, Molinari developed a more fluid, light and decorative personal style, a prelude to the explosion of Rococo painting in the new century. His compositions are animated by figures in theatrical poses and emphatic gestures, full of pathos to accentuate the emotional tension of the moment. The chromatic palette is warm, as the long Venetian tradition suggests, while the use of light creates intense contrasts that give life to the vibrant figures. These, like actors on the stage, seem to want to take over the scene and capture the viewer's eye.

This “Last Supper” represents a unicum in Molinari’s career, as he attempted the famous biblical episode for the first and only time. The figures are arranged dramatically and with broad gestures convey the pathos of the moment: the apostles question each other animatedly while Jesus, the only calm one among them, offers a gesture of affection and consolation to his beloved John. A unique detail is Judas in an ochre robe and with money in his hand, who, twisting, turns his gaze towards the spectator almost as if to question him if he had been identified as the traitor.

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Please note that this work has not yet obtained the certificate of free export from Italy from the Superintendency of Cultural Heritage. This document certifies that the work is not part of the Italian cultural heritage. Normally the times for issuing certificates are 40 days from the appointment date: The new legislation in force from 2021 provides for shorter times at the discretion of the expert commission for declared amounts lower than €13.500. All costs of this operation are included.