Workshop of Michelangelo Cerquozzi, Carnival Rome Piazza Colonna, 1640, Oil on Canvas

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Description

Carnival scene in 17th-century rome (piazza colonna)

roman school of the bamboccianti (mid-17th century) - workshop of michelangelo cerquozzi (rome … Read more Carnival scene in 17th-century rome (piazza colonna)

roman school of the bamboccianti (mid-17th century) - workshop of michelangelo cerquozzi (rome 1602 – rome 1660)

oil on canvas
74 x 96 cm - framed 88 x 110 cm.

full details of the work (click here)

set in a large square crowded with masked and costumed figures, the painting depicts a jubilant scene during the 17th-century roman carnival celebrations, and is therefore a fascinating testament to the customs of the time.

the painting is set in piazza colonna, with a fragment of the famous column of marcus aurelius, entirely carved in bas-relief, and surrounded by some of rome's most important historic buildings, particularly palazzo ferrajoli and palazzo chigi.

a civic event with ancient origins—inspired by the ancient roman saturnalia, in which slaves were elevated to the rank of masters, subverting the ordinary social order—carnevale, starting in the 16th century, became one of the main celebrations of papal rome, and one of the richest and most unrestrained in europe, becoming more popular and renowned than the venetian carnival during the renaissance.

not simply a celebration, but an integral part of the city's culture: as in antiquity, the roman oligarchies also granted the population, especially the lower classes, a period dedicated to entertainment. The entire citizenry participated, the poor mingling with the powerful, able to publicly mock them, protected by the anonymity of masks. A sort of leveling of all social divisions was achieved, and even public ridicule of the authorities and the aristocracy was permitted.

masked people paraded, disguised as the main characters of the commedia dell'arte, mostly in roman style.

thus, via lata (now via del corso), piazza colonna, and piazza venezia became the venues for the celebration, allowing the people (and even the masked gentlemen) to take control of the festivities.

among the various painters who depicted carnival scenes, a special place belongs to the roman michelangelo cerquozzi (rome 1602–1660), to whose workshop we can easily trace the work of our present work.

active primarily in rome, cerquozzi became known for his membership in the popular roman caravaggio movement—known as the "bamboccianti school"—a pictorial movement that included flemish, dutch, and italian painters, and which favored simple themes with popular scenes drawn from the daily life of rome at the time.

and carnival, which lent itself perfectly to popular narrative iconography, was therefore a typical subject of the "bambocciata." cerquozzi's oeuvre includes several works featuring carnival themes, held in various museums and collections, as do many other artists belonging to the movement, such as jan miel (see carnival in rome, 1653, madrid, museo del prado), and johannes lingelbach (see carnival in rome, 1650/1651, kunsthistorisches museum).

additional information:

the painting is sold complete with a beautiful antique frame and comes with a certificate of authenticity and an iconographic .

we handle and organize the shipping of purchased works, both in italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers.

if you would like to view this or other works in person, we would be happy to welcome you to our new gallery in riva del garda, at viale giuseppe canella 18. We look forward to seeing you!

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https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/ 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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