Giovanni Francesco Castiglione (genova 1641 - Mantova 1716) "circe"

Published in “Gio. Benedetto Castiglione Genovese, il Grechetto a Roma. Committenza e opere”, Genoa, 2022, pp. 248–251.

In a wooded landscape at dusk, a young shepherdess sits against a rock, surrounded by sheep, goats, and a calf. Her refined appearance – elegant garments and a pearl bracelet – contrasts with her supposed condition. The detail of an armor set hanging from a tree reveals her true identity: Circe, the sorceress of the Odyssey, who transformed Ulysses’ companions into beasts.

This allegorical depiction, where Circe appears under innocent features, is attributed to Giovanni Francesco Castiglione (Genoa, 1641 – Mantua, 1716), son of Giovanni Benedetto, known as “Il Grechetto.” Active in Mantua, where he was appointed court painter in 1681, he continued his father’s style, steeped in biblical and mythological themes.

The work was recently published in a volume devoted to new research on the Castiglione family.