19th Century, By Giovanni Battista Salvi, Known As The Sassoferrato, Our Lady Of Prayer

19th century, by Giovanni Battista Salvi, known as the Sassoferrato (Sassoferrato, 1609 - Rome, 1685)

Our Lady of prayer

Oil on canvas, cm 44 x 54

With frame, cm 88 x 60

Giovanni Battista Salvi, better known as Il Sassoferrato, from the name of his native town in the Marche, was a peculiar figure in the artistic scene of the Italian seventeenth century. Born on 25 August 1609, he distinguished himself for a style that, although placed in the Baroque period, looked with deep reverence and admiration to the Renaissance classicism, in particular to the art of Raffaello and Perugino. His artistic training began in the workshop of his father, Tarquinio Salvi, also a painter. Although precise information on his youth is scarce, it is plausible that he received a solid base in the Umbro-Marche environment, where the Renaissance tradition was still very much felt. Later, he moved to Rome, the pulsating center of art and culture of his time. Here, it is assumed that he had contacts with masters of the time such as Domenichino and Guido Reni, while still maintaining a strong stylistic independence. The Sassoferrat specialized mainly in religious subjects, with a particular predilection for images of the Virgin Mary. His Praying Madonnas, often depicted in moments of deep devotion and contemplation, became his most recognizable stylistic figure. These works are characterized by an extraordinary purity of form, a smoothness of the surfaces almost like porcelain and a meticulous attention to detail. The faces of his Madonnas are often idealized, with expressions of serene beauty and deep spirituality, evoking a sense of calm and transcendence. Unlike many of his Baroque contemporaries, who preferred dynamism, theatricality and drama, Il Sassoferrato pursued a more sober and contemplative beauty.