After Giampietro Cavazzoni Zanotti, Portrait of the Eritrean Sibyl, 1720, Oil on Canvas

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Description

Portrait of an Eritrean Sibyl Writing a Prophecy - Bolognese School, early 18th century

Attributable to Giampietro Cavazzoni Zanotti (Paris, … Read more Portrait of an Eritrean Sibyl Writing a Prophecy - Bolognese School, early 18th century

Attributable to Giampietro Cavazzoni Zanotti (Paris, 1674 - Bologna, 1765)

Oil on canvas

Dimensions: 64 x 50 cm, framed 76 x 63 cm.

This delightful painting immortalizes a young Sibyl, depicted intently writing her own response, her gaze raised, evoking the moment when she will receive divine revelations. According to Greek and Roman mythology, sibyls were virgins endowed with prophetic powers inspired by a god, usually Apollo, capable of providing responses and making predictions.

Against a monochrome background, presumably illuminated by candlelight, the girl's complexion stands out. She is simply dressed, her face framed by the classic turban veil, a typical attribute of these prophetic figures.

She has the adolescent grace of the mythical seers of antiquity, traditionally attributed to them in Bolognese painting, to which the painting owes its stylistic relevance, as if the artist intended to rethink the entire iconographic structure of a pictorial subject that had been codified in Bologna based on the celebrated models conceived by the founder Guido Reni.

A detailed examination of the stylistic characteristics highlights the peculiarities of the Bolognese school; the canvas reveals strong stylistic and compositional affinities with works from the workshop of Lorenzo Pasinelli, so much so that its execution can be traced back to a painter from his close circle. The typology of the faces is reminiscent of Pasinelli, who mentored a host of talented students throughout his long artistic career.

The painting, as suggested by an inscription on the back of the frame, could be a valuable addition to the oeuvre of Giampietro Zanotti Cavazzoni, a leading figure in 18th-century Bolognese artistic culture. He studied in the workshop of Lorenzo Pasinelli, whose influence marked his entire oeuvre.

The painting is in good condition, with a beautiful gilded wooden frame. This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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