Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Joseph, Northern Italy, 16th century, oil on canvas
Description
Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Joseph
Oil on canvas
cm 95x124
The composition features the Virgin seated, wrapped in a wide blue mantle and a pinkish robe with soft folds, while holding the Child who turns towards a small crucifix, an early allusion to the Passion. To her left appears Saint John the Baptist, recognizable by the cartouche with the inscription "Ecce Agnus Dei", while on the right, Saint Joseph observes the scene with a meditative attitude. The figures emerge from a dark background through a calibrated use of chiaroscuro.
The style, characterized by intense color, idealized faces, and wide, vibrant draperies, reflects the figurative culture of Northern Italy in the late Renaissance, with Mannerist influences in the construction of the scene and in the stylization of the forms.
Dimensions
cm 95x124
Provenance
Private collection
Condition
Defects and restorations. Non-contemporary frame.