Andrea Lanzani (Milan 1641 - 1712) attributable
Holy Family with angels
(Probable preparatory sketch)
Oil on canvas
43 x 33 cm. - In frame 62 x 52 cm.
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The pleasant painting examined here depicts the Holy Family, portrayed during the flight into Egypt to escape Herod's massacre of the Innocents in Bethlehem, a theme drawn from the Gospel of Matthew. The scene, in particular, immortalizes them in a moment of rest during the journey, with Saint Joseph unusually holding the Child in his arms, while the Madonna crosses a body of water, assisted by an angel holding her hand.
Around the Holy Family, other angels are depicted offering their divine assistance, transforming the stop into a moment of mystical ecstasy, in a glorious and protective atmosphere: two cherubs are gathering fruit from a tree while two other winged angels protect them from above, and a fifth tends to the donkey.
The work, which features the typical characteristics of Lombard Baroque painting, is characterized by a marked dynamism, beautiful play of light and shadow contrasts; the expressive use of color is also interesting, particularly visible in the contrast between the deep blue of Mary's robe and the warm tones of the other figures.
The canvas constitutes an important testimony of the activity of Andrea Lanzani (Milan 1641 - 1712), a Milanese artist active in the second half of the 17th century: it would be, in particular, a sketch or preparatory study for the altarpiece created by the painter in 1674 for the decoration of the Church of San Giuseppe in Milan.
https://catalogo.beniculturali.it/detail/HistoricOrArtisticProperty/0300054086
Lanzani is considered one of the fundamental protagonists of the transition from the mature Baroque to the so-called Lombard Barocchetto, and his painting, distinguished by strong spirituality, marks the overcoming of the dramatic pathos typical of the early Milanese 17th century towards a more graceful and luminous style.
Unlike his contemporaries, he trained under Luigi Scaramuccia (il Perugino), approaching the models of Emilian and Roman classicism (Raphael, Guido Reni, Annibale Carracci) rather than the "booming" Lombard tradition.
He moved from Counter-Reformation rigor to a more "approachable" and human religiosity, less focused on martyrdom and more on beauty and grace.
Similar works by Lanzani are preserved in historic churches or public collections in Milan, from the Accademia Carrara (Bergamo) to the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana (Milan), or in the collections of the Fondazione Cariplo (Milan), while they are more difficult to find on the antique market.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The work is sold complete with a pleasant frame and includes a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.
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