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Giovanni Bernardino Azzolino (Cefalù, 1572 - Napoli, 1645)
Large painting on slate, Madonna of the Fishing with Child and St. John the Baptist, 16th century
Oil on slate/blackboard
H cm 144 x148
Maira families of Palermo. Expertise by Professor Claudio Strinati:
“The remarkable painting depicting the Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist (oil on slate, 144 x 148 cm) is a beautiful example of the stone painting that became widespread throughout Italy between the end of the sixteenth century and the first quarter of the seventeenth century. The work is in good condition, but some darkening of the surface (also due to the nature of the support), which a good restoration can certainly remedy, given that the paint layer is substantially sound), does not prevent a correct reading of the work.
This is of Tuscan inspiration, so much so that in the features of the Madonna it takes up prototypes that can broadly be defined as Raphaelesque because they are inspired by paintings from the late activity of Raffaello Sanzio, paintings that achieved universal fame during the sixteenth century .
But while the style is certainly Tuscan-inspired, the work under examination here can certainly be placed within the great Southern school of the early 17th century, which produced some notable painters, though less frequently studied today. Among these, several protagonists of painting broadly defined as Neapolitan stand out. These are masters who drew their inspiration from the Tuscan and Florentine environment in particular, a movement highly regarded throughout Italy (see the recent catalogue Meraviglia senza tempo. Pittura su pietra a Roma tra Cinquecento e Seicento, Galleria Borghese, Officina Libraria 2022-2023, edited by Francesca Cappelletti and Patrizia Cavazzini, which is very comprehensive on the subject) and in the Kingdom of Naples in particular. Among these painters, one in particular should be considered the author of our painting: Giovanni Bernardino Azzolino (Cefalù 1572-Naples 1645), an artist who was highly celebrated in his time but less well-known today. A refined classicist, a very fine draftsman and colourist, graceful and tender in his expressions, Azzolino had an important career which took place in various centres of southern Italy and some of his excellent works still survive there.
The painting under examination here is certainly by him and must have been executed towards the end of the 1620s, as attested by the comparison with some of his works that are certainly dated, such as those executed, precisely towards the end of the 1620s, for the Pio Monte della Misericordia in Naples, characterised by his solid style, masterfully chiaroscuro and classicising, in a manner entirely similar to that seen in our painting, under examination here.”
€ 12.000,00
Starting price