17th Century, 17th Century Period

Title: Virgin and ChildPeriod: Late 17th – early 18th centuryTechnique: Oil on canvasDimensions: Height 110 cm – Width 85 cmProvenance: Private collectionCondition: Old relining, visible wear, traces of restorationDescription: A moving representation of the Virgin and Child, in the post-Tridentine iconographic tradition. The Virgin Mary, dressed in a carmine red mantle and a deep green drape, supports the naked Child Jesus on her knees, his eyes turned towards the sky in an attitude of devotion. The expressive gaze and the fleshy flesh testify to a beautiful sensitivity, in a style that evokes the Flemish or Neapolitan schools of the late 17th century. The treatment of volumes, drapes and skin tones recalls the influence of the great Baroque masters, such as Rubens or Van Dyck, while suggesting a workshop hand or that of a quality provincial painter. The architectural background with a bright sky accentuates the sacred dimension of the scene. The canvas was relined, probably in the 19th or 20th century, and shows signs of restoration as well as surface cracks, typical of its age. It is ready to be displayed or framed according to preference.