Oil on canvas depicting martyr
Oil on canvas depicting martyr
This important oil on canvas depicts a Saint Martyr, sumptuously dressed in a pinkish cloak tending to red over a blue robe knotted on the shoulder and a white shirt with redundant drapery on the right arm, leaving the bust uncovered.
Height | 127 cm |
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Length | 106 cm |
Author | Gian Domenico Cerrini |
Technique & Materials | |
Provenance | Perugia |
Century | XVII |
Description
This important oil on canvas depicts a Saint Martyr, sumptuously dressed in a pinkish cloak tending to red over a blue robe knotted on the shoulder and a white shirt with redundant drapery on the right arm, leaving the bust uncovered. The saint, framed frontally almost full-length, bears no peculiar attributes except for a hinted halo and the palm of martyrdom, which she supports with her left hand leaning on a balustrade, while with her right she lifts a flap of cloth. This pose makes it difficult to identify the character depicted.
The work can be attributed to the classicist current of the central decades of the seventeenth century, with an approximate dating around the middle of the century and a probable location in the Roman or Emilian context. The painting could be the work of Giandomenico Cerrini, known as Cavalier Perugino (Perugia 1609-Rome 1681), finding confirmation in comparisons with various similar female figures. The typical features of his stylistic code, such as the face with large eyes, the square but small nose, and the mouth with full lips, are evident and matching. This extraordinary work not only represents a refined artistic expression of its time, but also testifies to the skill and sensitivity of the possible author.