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Adoration of the shepherds, School of Northern Italy, 17th century
oil painting on canvas
136 x 100 cm
The painting has clear reminiscent of the style of Correggio: it is known that The adoration of the Shepherds (Dresda) (1525 - 1530) has been a model for generations of painters, including the current of the Caravaggeschi and the so-called Tenebrosi painters. Following this path, you can find similarities with the style of the Venetian master Bartolomeo Letterini or Litterini (1669 - 1748): note the strong similarities with works such as The Adoration of the Sheperds, preserved at the Museum of San Nicolò in Zanica, or the Sacrifice of Isaac.
Bartolomeo, son of Augustine, who was also a painter, belonged to the current of the" tenebrous painters"in the first period of his production , with actions with a strong dramatic content and dense naturalism: the churches of the Val Seriana (Bergamo) are a valid example. We could trace the genesis of this canvas right at the last quarter of the 17th century , due to the accentuated contrast of light and shadow, through a main and directed light source.
The intense luministic and chromatic research, of which the painting is pervaded, are the main characteristics of this beautiful composition of the late seventeenth century.
Baby Jesus, the fulcrum from which the light of the whole composition emanates is obviously the focus towards which all the characters are turned, although it has not been positioned in the perspective center, but slightly moved towards the left of the painting . The light emanating from the child strikes the bystanders and makes them emerge from the dark background, with a remarkable expressive force. Admirable and strongly Caravaggesque characters are the bagpipe player, on the right, the St. Joseph with his bare foot in the foreground, and the face of the child among the shepherds.
The canvas, in excellent condition, shows a small hole on the tunic of St. Joseph.
The canvas has recently been reinforced on the edges, but its first canvas was kept. Light touches scattered on the pictorial surface. The faces are for the most part intact.
€ 3.000,00
Starting price
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