JONI I.F. - Madonna and Child with Angels, Tempera on Gold Ground Panel

Icilio Federico Joni (Siena, 1866–1946)

An important painting depicting the enthroned Madonna with the Child, flanked by four angels, created according to the canons of 15th-century Sienese painting. The strictly symmetrical composition features the Virgin with a gentle and serene face, while the Child, seated on her lap, clutches a rosary, an element of devotion of particular iconographic refinement. The angels, elegantly arranged on either side of the throne, are characterized by delicate features and a decorative rendering of their hair and robes of great finesse. The finely chased gold background and the richness of the throne highlight a deep knowledge of late-Gothic Sienese models, attributable to the tradition of Sano di Pietro, Neroccio di Bartolomeo de’ Landi, and Matteo di Giovanni. Based on stylistic characteristics, executive quality, and painting technique, the work is attributable to ICILIO FEDERICO JONI, a renowned Sienese painter active between the late 19th and the first half of the 20th century, known for his refined reinterpretations and reconstructions in antique style, which are today of growing interest to international collectors.

cm. 118x63

Icilio Federico Joni was a highly sought-after Italian painter and forger, specializing in the counterfeiting of ancient paintings (especially Sienese school) and the head of the “forgers” of the same city. He was also known by the nickname PAICAP. Joni was the master of the “school of forgers” and became very famous for his Madonnas, reproductions of those from the ancient Sienese school. Joni’s production includes triptychs created between the late 1800s and early 1900s, which were then sold with great success in Europe and the United States.