"Saint John and the Lamb of God" SOLD

"Saint John the Baptist in the desert." Workshop of Pier Francesco Mola (Ticino 1612-Rome 1666) oil on canvas Mid-17th century Canvas dimensions 38 x 48 frame 54 x 64 This splendid painting depicts a young Saint John the Baptist holding the staff with the cartouche, seated next to the ever-present Lamb, a scene enriched by a backdrop with a particularly vibrant natural opening. It is of evident beauty, combining remarkable pictorial finesse with a perfect scenic construction, so as to provoke a sensation of total satisfaction in the viewer. Indeed, all the characteristics of an author with extraordinary expressive capacities emerge in this small jewel. Chiaroscuro, nuances, tones, and chromatic combinations, as well as depth and movement, contribute to the stylistic perfection of the painting. The comparison with the minor works of Pier Francesco Mola is easily readable, and therefore we feel we fully agree with its historical attribution. Pier Francesco Mola, known as the Ticinese for his origins, worked mainly in Rome, where his paintings were appreciated both for portraiture and for the creation of landscapes. Influenced by the French Poussin and Lorrain, he was among the first to include nature and landscape in his compositions with chiaroscuro and nuances accentuated by a very warm chromatic temperature. This lively coloring, drawn from the French masters, had great success with continuous requests from the Clergy and the Nobility of the time, but was especially appreciated by wealthy visitors to Rome who bought his small-sized works directly in Piazza Navona where they were exhibited. In Piazza Navona, in fact, a large group of artists gathered, offering their paintings to wealthy English and French aristocrats visiting the "Eternal City".