Workshop of Carlo Maratta, Announcing Angel, 1690, Oil on Canvas, Framed

Details

Description

The announcing angel - carlo maratta (camerano, 1625 – rome, 1713) workshop

oil on canvas
63 x 75 cm - … Read more The announcing angel - carlo maratta (camerano, 1625 – rome, 1713) workshop

oil on canvas
63 x 75 cm - gilded wooden frame 89 x 75 cm.

excellent condition, restored, 19th-century frame

the proposed work depicts the archangel gabriel as he is about to deliver the supreme announcement to the virgin, offering her the canonical white lilies, a symbol of purity and chastity. It is a splendid subject, executed with great stylistic quality, likely commissioned for private use and therefore particularly pleasing and easy to place.

the angel takes the form of a young man of rare beauty, with delicate features, wrapped in a white tunic with soft drapes, all punctuated by an intense classicism, where a balanced composition directs the viewer's attention to his face.

considering the pleasing stylistic features, both in terms of compositional inventiveness and execution, and the elegance of the drawing, we are inclined to attribute the work to a roman painter active between the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

in particular, the work can be attributed to an artist active in the close circle of the master carlo maratta (camerano 1625 – rome, 1713), one of the greatest exponents of 17th-century classicism, or to an artist active in his thriving roman workshop.

the canvas clearly highlights the master's typical qualities, with a style capable of balancing classicism—the figure is distinguished by an idealized beauty, drawing inspiration from the "classical" models of guido reni—with a baroque style devoid of excess, two seemingly contrasting tendencies that maratta successfully reconciled with surprising results.

thanks to their exceptional critical and collector success, his works became an absolute benchmark, a paradigm of a pictorial style balanced in every aspect (drawing, color, composition, iconography), making him a key figure in the roman art scene.

a dedicated group of students and followers gravitated around the master, making it very difficult to distinguish, from an attribution standpoint, between compositions replicated by the artist and those entrusted to his students, especially those intended for easy distribution and therefore appreciated on the market.

additional information:

the painting is sold complete with a beautiful 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



issues arising from misattribution See less