Follower of Raffaello Sanzio, Saint George & the Dragon, 1700, Oil on Canvas, Framed

Details

Description

Saint george defeats the dragon
follower of raphael (urbino, 1483 – rome, 1520), 17th-18th century
oil on oval canvas
124 … Read more Saint george defeats the dragon
follower of raphael (urbino, 1483 – rome, 1520), 17th-18th century
oil on oval canvas
124 x 95 cm / framed 148 x 118 cm.

the painting evocatively illustrates the triumph over the dragon of saint george, a noble christian knight from cappadocia (in present-day turkey). His amazing adventure, imbued with symbolic meaning in the struggle between good and evil, has always been a favorite theme in art: during the renaissance, it allowed for the portrayal of both chivalric and religious ideals and values.

the legend of saint george, both saint and knight, is based on the battle fought by the archangel michael, exemplifying the struggle between good and evil, as described in the book of revelation, from which the image of the dragon presumably also comes.

"one day he arrived in the kingdom of silene, plagued by the presence of a terrible dragon, whose destructive power could only be contained by human sacrifice. It was the "soldier of christ" who slew the dangerous beast and saved the sovereign's daughter from the monster's jaws. As a reward, he asked for neither honors nor money, but rather that all the people convert to christianity through baptism."

our painting is a high-quality replica of one of raphael's most famous creations, "saint george and the dragon" [1], commissioned in 1505 by guidobaldo da montefeltro as a gift to henry vii of england and now in the national gallery of art in washington (mellon collection). Link

in the painting, saint george is captured in the moment of his triumph over the dragon, the emblem of evil, as he pierces it with a spear.

he is depicted according to traditional iconography, astride his steed, clad in shining armor and a crested helmet, while his iridescent red cloak appears billowing in the wind, enhancing the sculptural figure's dynamism.
secluded on the right is the princess, composedly praying, devoutly observing the hero in action. Behind her, we can see a building, surrounded by extensive walls to protect it from the dragon. This detail, not present in raphael's original, is an addition by our artist, undoubtedly to pay homage to the patron's place of origin or the work's destination.

an analysis of the work's general stylistic features suggests a dating of the painting between the 17th and 18th centuries, suggesting an artist influenced by roman culture.

good condition.

[1] raphael sanzio, circa 1505, oil on panel, location: national gallery of art, washington

additional information:

the work is sold complete with a beautiful gilded wooden frame and comes with a certificate of authenticity and an iconographic. 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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