Offered by Antichità Castelbarco
Andrea Lanzani (Milan 1641–1712) attributed to
The Holy Family with Angels (Probably a preparatory sketch)
Oil on canvas 43 x 33 cm. - Framed 62 x 52 cm.
The charming painting examined here depicts the Holy Family, portrayed during their flight to Egypt to escape Herod’s Massacre of the Innocents in Bethlehem, a theme drawn from the Gospel of Matthew.
The scene, in particular, captures them during a rest stop on their journey, with Saint Joseph unusually holding the Child in his arms, while the Virgin Mary crosses a stream assisted by an angel holding her hand.
Surrounding the Holy Family are other angels offering their divine assistance, transforming the rest stop into a moment of mystical ecstasy within a glorious and protective atmosphere: two cherubs gather fruit from a tree while two other winged angels protect them from above, and another tends to the donkey.
The work, which displays the typical characteristics of Lombard Baroque painting, is marked by a striking dynamism and beautiful interplay of light and shadow; the expressive use of color is also noteworthy, particularly evident in the contrast between the deep blue of Mary’s robe and the warm tones of the other figures.
The canvas is an important example of the work of Andrea Lanzani (Milan 1641–1712), a Milanese artist active in the second half of the 17th century: specifically, it is a sketch or preparatory study for the altarpiece created by the painter in 1674 for the decoration of the Church of San Giuseppe in Milan. https://catalogo.beniculturali.it/detail/HistoricOrArtisticProperty/0300054086
Lanzani is considered one of the key figures in the transition from the mature Baroque to the so-called Lombard Barocchetto, and his painting, distinguished by a strong spirituality, marks a shift away from the dramatic pathos typical of early 17th-century Milan toward a more graceful and luminous style.
Unlike his contemporaries, he trained under Luigi Scaramuccia (il Perugino), drawing closer to the models of Emilian and Roman classicism (Raphael, Guido Reni, Annibale Carracci) rather than the “bombastic” Lombard tradition.
He moved from Counter-Reformation rigor to a more “approachable” and human religiosity, less focused on martyrdom and more on beauty and grace. Similar works by Lanzani are preserved in historic churches or public collections in Milan, from the Accademia Carrara (Bergamo) to the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana (Milan), or in the collections of the Fondazione Cariplo (Milan), while they are harder to find on the antique market.
Delevery information :
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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.
