Lombard Painter active in the 17th centuryBaby Jesus Oil on canvas (70 x 82 cm, in antique frame 78 x 91 cm) The complete details of this painting can be found at the following - link - This painting depicts an unusual and pleasant iconographic theme, occasionally used by the Christian tradition but here represented following a peculiar iconography that places the Divine Child lying on a white cloth spread in a small and low straw manger; the sacred scene is set in a kind of infantile alcove, from which a natural glimpse opens in the background, with white sheets and pillow. Jesus is awake and scrutinizes directly towards the observer, not asleep as in most of this type of work, and in a serene and lively attitude, with the carefree nature of any newborn baby, and above all the scene is devoid of the usual attributes of the Passion or other references that may evoke his future sacrifice. It is therefore a sacred painting which, by virtue of its probable destination as an auspicious gift for a birth, is not enveloped by any excess of religiosity. Near the child a cartouche with the biblical inscription "Deliciae meae esse cum filiis hominum "(Prov. VIII, 31). This message is based on the invitation to every man, from his tender age, to be virtuous, adducing as a motivation the great love that God pours on man, especially since he is a child. Hence the meaning of the locution Deliciae meae esse cum filiis hominum, that is 'I have placed my delights among the children of men', because they are innocent and pure, and therefore not yet become prey to vice. Particularly remarkable are his delicate complexion and the care with which the features of the face have been defined, so realistic that we could therefore assume it was a real portrait. The tenderly natural interpretation reveals a representation executed by an artist active in the mid-seventeenth century: with greater precision we can attribute the execution to an Italian (or Flemish) painter active in Lombardy (compare some maternities of Giulio Cesare Procaccini, from which our author must necessarily have been inspired for the representation of the child). The work is in good condition and is complete with a beautiful gilded wooden frame. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The painting is sold with a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet. We take care of and organize the transport of purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers. Please contact us for any information, we will be happy to answer you. Follow us also on: https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/