Saint Catherine of Alexandria
Guido Reni (Bologna 1575 - 1642) Workshop of
Probable Gian Domenico Cerrini, the Knight of Perugia (Perugia 1609 – Rome 1681)
oil on canvas (65 x 54 cm. - with frame 93 x 82 cm.)
Complete details of the work (consult our online gallery at the following LINK)
The splendid female figure portrayed is Saint Catherine of Alexandria, recognizable by the traditional iconographic attributes, namely the crown, jewels, and regal attire, which allude to her princely origins.
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, thanks to her noble lineage, was able to dedicate her life to study, surrounding herself with wise and erudite individuals, becoming highly learned, especially in philosophy and religion; her figure, which has produced a very rich iconography throughout Europe, has had a large following for the characteristics that distinguish her: she represents, in fact, a woman of great intelligence, redeeming a millennia-old prejudice, with a strong and intrepid character, capable of opposing force with the determination of her faith and her knowledge.
Given her social status and the fact that she was considered the embodiment of the virtues of wisdom, strength, and eloquence, she was acclaimed as a model for the aristocratic ladies of the time.
This is, in particular, a high-quality version of Guido Reni's famous 'Saint Catherine' painted around 1606, which we can admire today in the collection of the Hunterian Art Gallery, University of Glasgow (image 1 - oil on canvas, 89 x 63 cm, museum URL: https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/saint-catherine-138883), or in the altarpiece of the 'Martyrdom of Saint Catherine of Alexandria' (image 2 - Diocesan Museum, Albenga, URL: https://catalogo.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/entry/work/59514/)
Given the success of the iconography, like many of Reni's creations, it was later revisited through versions executed by his students, such as, in our case, the 'Portrait of a Woman as Saint Catherine of Alexandria' attributed to Giovanni Domenico Cerrini (image 3 - Bob Jones University Museum and Gallery, Greenville, museum URL: https://catalogo.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/scheda/opera/48609/), and again the 'Saint Catherine of Alexandria between two angels' also by Cerrini (image 4 - The Chrysler Museum of Art, New York, URL: https://catalogo.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/scheda/fotografia/94242/)
Returning to our canvas, the high quality of this intense portrait leads us, therefore, to attribute its execution to one of the talented students of Reni's workshop, faithful to his artistic precepts, considering the aforementioned Gian Domenico Cerrini, known as the Knight of Perugia (Perugia 1609 – Rome 1681), as a possible artist. Adhering to classicist models, as we can clearly see in our painting, he managed to develop a style with figures of undulating and soft contours, rendered with a light and milky color.
Particular importance is given to the complexion of the face, skillfully defined by light, and to the intensity of the colors of the garments and the mantle, enriched by a shimmering lapis lazuli blue. The finely rendered facial features, enhanced by the overhead light that highlights the complexion, and the softness of the anatomical details, delineated by a meticulous play of chiaroscuro, are noteworthy.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The work is sold complete with a pleasant gilded frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.
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