Offered by Antichità Castelbarco
Follower of Giovanni Gerolamo Savoldo (Brescia, c. 1480 – after 1548)
Toby and the Angel
Oil on canvas 63 x 76 cm - In frame 77 x 90 cm
We are pleased to offer this valuable painting depicting the Archangel Raphael with the young Tobias, which is based on the painting by Giovanni Gerolamo Savoldo (oil on canvas, 120x160 cm), one of the great masters of the early Brescian Renaissance, dating from around 1527 and now preserved in the Borghese Gallery in Rome [1].
In particular, the work, reproduced here with great character and excellent quality, depicts the Archangel Raphael protecting the boy Tobias with his large wings and showing him the right path: the meaning of this iconography, taken from the Bible (Tobit 5:4-8), has taken on a broader significance over time, eventually becoming the emblem of the human soul protected by its guardian angel.
The subject, particularly popular in Renaissance art for its powerful spiritual value, is rendered here in a sublime manner by Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo (c. 1480 - post 1548), who is not coincidentally considered one of the most mysterious and fascinating painters of his time, capable of blending Lombard figurative culture with the suggestions and colourism of Venetian painting with great poetry.
Born in Brescia but mainly active in Venice, he converted his origins with a style strongly influenced by contemporary Titian solutions, including the use of bright colours to simulate the effect of a light source that shines from the background of the painting, illuminating the angel and casting the young man's face in shadow.
This use of light, which helped the artist express his amazing painting skills and which we also see in our painting, gives the drapery a shiny, almost metallic texture, making the colours and deep folds stand out.
The masterful technique played on a cold light with almost surreal effects gives the drapery, particularly evident here in the angel's robe, a silvery sheen that makes it appear almost wet, becoming one of the distinctive features of the artist's poetics and one that was rarely equalled by his contemporaries. [1] Savoldo Giovanni Gerolamo (c. 1480/after 1548), Tobiolo and the Angel c. 1530 - c. 1530, 120 x 160 cm. Villa Borghese Pinciana, Rome
Delevery information :
We take care of and organise the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers.
We take great care We personally take care of the packaging, to which we devote a great deal of care: each work is carefully packed, first with arti- cle material, then with a custom-made wooden box.
Should you have the desire to see this or other works in person, we would be happy to welcome you to our gallery in Riva del Garda, Viale Giuseppe Canella 18, we are always open by appointment only.
