Italian school; mid-eighteenth century.
"Madonna."
Oil on canvas.
It retains its original canvas. Presents craquelure and repainting.
Measures: 60 x 48 cm.
Devotional work that presents the Virgin Mary bust, in the foreground and captured at large size, occupying most of the pictorial surface and even leaving it. It is a monumental figure, worked with great delicacy and directly illuminated by a clear and uniform light, with classical roots. Mary stands out against a neutral, flat and dark background, illuminated only by the luminosity of Mary's skin. The Virgin appears dressed in a red tunic, alluding to the Passion of Christ and her own pain for the death of her Son, and a blue mantle, usual in Marian iconography as a symbol of the concepts of truth and eternity. The figure shows a dynamic position, elegantly twisted, with her face tilted to one side and turned downwards, towards the faithful who conceptually prays at her feet, showing herself as intercessor between God and man. As a symbol of compassion and humility, Mary holds a hand to her breast. It is an image of great beauty, in which an idealized but naturalistic face stands out, with large and expressive deep eyes, drooping eyelids, long and elegant nose and small mouth, puckered in a smile.
Formally in this work dominates the influence of Italian classicism, showing some similarity with the aesthetics of Pompeo Batoni (Italy, 1708-1787). Italian painter who demonstrated a solid technical knowledge in his portrait work and in his numerous allegorical and mythological paintings. Batoni gained international fame largely through his clients, mostly British of noble birth, whom he portrayed, often with famous Italian landscapes in the background. These Grand Tour portraits by Batoni were in British private collections, ensuring the popularity of the genre in Britain.