Polidoro Da Lanciano (lanciano, 1515 - Venezia, 1565), Holy Family

Polidoro de Renzi known as Polidoro da Lanciano (Lanciano, 1515 - Venezia, 1565) (attr.)

Holy Family with Saint John

Oil on canvas, cm 76 x 93

With frame, cm 88 x 104

The fine canvas is for clear stylistic affinities to be linked to the Venetian painter of Tizianesca formation Polidoro da Lanciano. The compositional scheme of the Holy Family with San Giovannino is used in many works by Polidoro, for example the paintings by Ca Rezzonico, the Accademia Carrara, the Castelvecchio Museum, the Pinacoteca Capitolina and the Palazzo dei diamanti: In particular, our painting reproduces the composition of that of Ferrara, which has obvious Tizianese motifs: the farmhouses in the background with typical sloping roofs, the San Giovannino embracing the lamb, the morphology of the frasca and the banners. As in the present, the composition is based on a growing diagonal that from the head of San Giovannino culminates in the serene face of the Virgin, always placed in a privileged position compared to the other characters. Behind it a lush natural landscape highlights and focuses our attention on the sacred group. The full and rosy face slightly bent to the side of the Virgin evokes models of Francesco Vecellio, in whose workshop it seems to have started his career in Laguna Polidoro. The pleasant amber landscape of rolling hills looks at the work of another Venetian painter, Bonifacio de Pitati, whose influence is very present in the works of the 30s of Polidoro. Even the bearded figure of Saint Joseph refers to the elegant ways of Pitati suggesting a total immersion of our painter in the best art of his time. The work well fits the production directed to create devotional pictures and Sacred Conversations with a narrative character, Following proven iconographic formulas of great success.