Giovanni Venanzi, Pan and Syringe, 1674, Oil on Canvas

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Description

An important mythological painting by the Marche painter Giovanni Venanzi, known as "il Pesarese," signed and dated 1674 (on Pan's … Read more An important mythological painting by the Marche painter Giovanni Venanzi, known as "il Pesarese," signed and dated 1674 (on Pan's horns), depicting the episode of Pan and Syrinx from Ovid's Metamorphoses. The large-format, visually striking work presents a dynamic composition charged with emotional tension, depicting the climactic moment of the nymph Syrinx's transformation into reeds to escape the embrace of the god Pan. The scene is characterized by intense expressive contrasts: on the one hand, the contemplative and desirous attitude of the deity, on the other, the drama and terror of the nymph, rendered with a soft, luminous nude, typical of the artist's pictorial sensibility.
The signature, "Joan.s Venantius Pisaurensis F. 1674," is placed on Pan's horns, a distinctive element that undoubtedly confirms the work's authenticity. A pupil of Simone Cantarini and active between Bologna and Parma, Venanzi was appointed court painter to the Farnese family in 1678.
Although best known for his religious works, he also created a significant body of mythological subjects for aristocratic commissions, including cycles related to the myth of Cupid and Psyche.
This painting likely fits into this cultured and refined circle.Painting accompanied by the expertise of Dr. Raffaella Poltronieri
Dimensions:
184x127 cm (with frame)
173x116 cm (without frame) This piece has an attribution mark,
I am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
issues arising from misattribution See less