Pair of winged cherubs

Genoese school, around 1670-80

Oil on canvas, 67 x 57 cm.

Framed 89 x 78 cm.

This pleasant painting, depicting a pair of winged cherubs, is the work of the Genoese Giovan Battista Merano (Genoa 1632 - Piacenza 1698), trained in Genoa first in the workshop of Giovanni Andrea De Ferrari, and then of Valerio Castello, of whom he became one of the best students.

It was probably the latter who advised the student to stay in the then Duchy of Parma to study Correggio and Parmigianino, as he had done in his time. During this first stay in Parma Giovanni Battista worked on the fresco decoration of the oratory of San Giuseppe (1651), making use of the skills already acquired by taking part in the decorative construction sites managed by the Castle.

During the seventies the painter's style came closer and closer to the solutions adopted by his colleague Piola, with whom he often collaborated, and from which he must have drawn inspiration for our putti, a true emblem of the pictorial poetics of the Piolesca workshop, focused on decorative pleasantness of these subjects, intended to replace the classic ideal of beauty with a more delicate and 'capricious' grace.

Our two plump little angels are depicted on their knees, supported on soft clouds, while holding chains in their hands, probably alluding to an allegorical context, presumably related to the concept of fidelity and strength that holds two people together.

The painting, perfectly restored and relined, is in excellent condition. Conservative cleaning performed.

Equipped with authenticity expertise (FIMA).

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