Benvenuto Tisi, known as Il Garofalo (Garofalo, Rovigo 1476 - Ferrara 1559)Workshop/Follower Madonna with Child and Saint Joseph Oil on canvas 125 x 90 cm - Framed 143 x 109 cm In a Renaissance architectural setting, we see the Virgin with Child and Saint Joseph, a subject that in art is defined as the 'Holy Family', a recurring theme in Christian art, symbolizing maternal love, divine protection, and the importance of the family as a model of life. Works with this subject, usually commissioned for churches or private collections, were therefore the subject of countless depictions over the centuries, such as the one we present, executed in oil on canvas and datable between the 16th and 17th centuries, which echoes the fresco, dated 1525, made by Benvenuto Tisi, known as Garofalo (c. 1476 - 1559) for the Certosa of Ferrara, and now preserved in the Museum of Montecassino. A painter of Venetian origin and belonging to the Ferrarese School, Garofalo was an Italian Renaissance painter known for his elegant and colorful painting, influenced by Raphael and the Roman and Venetian schools. He painted numerous versions of the Holy Family, often assisted by his workshop, similar to this one or with variations, some of which are now preserved in important collections: among these we can mention the one in the Borghese Gallery in Rome, the Vatican Art Gallery, or the Doria Pamphilj Gallery, also in Rome. The Virgin, portrayed in a refined, regal pose, presents a delicate and youthful face that looks fixedly towards the viewer, with a rosy complexion, framed by long blonde hair, and highlighted chromatically by the blue of the cloak and the red of the dress, while behind her is depicted Saint Joseph, also with youthful features, with a red robe and a dark cloak, standing aside and resting while watching over the mother and son. Our canvas fully embodies the principle of classicism to which Garofalo was very devoted, both for the plasticity of the composition and for the architecture in which the human figures are inserted. There is indeed much of the late fifteenth-century school in this sacred narrative, which denotes the painter's great admiration for the greats of painting of the 15th and 16th centuries, whose bright colors and figures he brings back in his work: the central figure of the Madonna shows a Raphael-like face, in a Michelangelo-like, pyramidal pose filling the center of the scene. Finally, the glimpse that opens on the left, framed by the pink hues of the sky, with a village perched on a wooded hill, which we often find in his works, is beautiful. Observing the pictorial drafting, in the rendering close to the pictorial solutions of Giorgio Vasari, a friend of the Paduan painter, we can easily trace the attribution of the work to a member of Garofalo's workshop or to a follower active in a slightly later period. Given the high quality of works that have come down to us, especially on religious themes, it is in fact easy to think that a large number of pupils gravitated in his workshop. The work is in a good state of conservation with restoration and repainting of the pictorial layer. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The work is sold complete with a pleasant gilded frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic card. We take care of and organize the transport of purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers. It is also possible to see the painting in the gallery in Riva del Garda, we will be happy to welcome you to show you our collection of works. Contact us, without obligation, for any additional information. Follow us also on: INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/