Italian School, 18th century, Blessing Christ

Italian School, 18th century Blessing Christ Oil on panel, 86 x 72 cm Frame, 114 x 100 cm The artwork depicts Christ in a half-bust, dressed in a red tunic, a color symbolizing royalty, topped with a blue mantle. In his left hand, he holds the orb and cross, while his right hand is raised in a gesture of blessing. The background is an unreal atmosphere, dominated by a golden light, even brighter around the halo surrounding Christ's head, which is encircled by a host of cherubim and a crown of clouds. It is precisely this background element that evokes solutions typical of Emilia, already established in the 16th century. The iconography particularly refers to Christ's sacrifice for the salvation of all. The attribute of the orb indeed denotes the Urbi et orbi extension of divine blessing, declared in the present painting by Christ himself through the gesture of his right hand, considered sacred par excellence. The codification of the orb attribute dates back to ancient pagan depictions of the Roman emperor, sculpted in bas-relief or minted by the state treasury, bearing the globe of victory, an explicit reference to his military conquests. In the development of a modern iconography that harmonized with solid figurative references, from late Roman to Jewish traditions, early Christian artists adopted the meaning of the orb held by the emperor to attribute it to Christ, the true and ultimate emperor, reigning in both the earthly and the otherworldly realms. In this painting, a double light source illuminates the figure of Jesus, one coming from the halo, gently illuminating the background made of clouds and cherubim, the other emanating from Christ himself, lighting up the red robe he wears. The crackling folds of the blue mantle draped over his right shoulder give movement to the portrait. Particular attention is paid to the characterization of the face, framed by long hair finely highlighted by the golden light, and by a thick beard also meticulously described.