Saint Mary Magdalene carried to heaven by angels

Circle of Domenichino (Domenico Zampieri) (Bologna 1581 - Naples 1641)

Oil painting on canvas

62 x 53cm.

In frame 77 x 6

Splendid image of the Magdalene raised to heaven by a group of angels, with a devout gaze turned upwards.

It is a work of great charm due to the tangible dualism between the extremely feminine image of the Saint, portrayed as an attractive girl with barbed hair, to recall her past as a sinner, and the moment in which she is welcomed into the kingdom of God: we are therefore faced with an extremely physical figure, immortalized in his desire for spiritual asceticism, with an extraordinary mixture of flesh and spirit.

This particular iconography draws inspiration from a tradition collected in the Golden Legend of Jacopo da Varazze, according to which the Magdalene lived for thirty years as a hermit in the desert for thirty years after the death of Christ: here every day the angels visited her, bringing her the Holy Gifts , and raising her to heaven in the presence of divine glory, thus alleviating all her material needs.

From a stylistic point of view we are dealing with a composition whose stylistic features refer to the best Emilian figurative culture of the seventeenth century; although it is complex to identify a specific author, we can easily recognize an evident stylistic vocation based on classicism, which immediately refers to Domenichino's compositions.

In the painting there is, at the bottom, a fascinating piece of landscape that testifies to the influence of Nicolas Poussin and Claude Lorraine, creators of the classical landscape.

The theatrical use of lighting, which embodies divine intervention, creates a scenic effect typical of Domenichino, in turn inherited from the Carraccis with whom the artist conducted his apprenticeship together with Guido Reni and Francesco Albani.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The painting is sold complete with a pleasant golden frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.

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