Offered by Antichità Castelbarco
Workshop of Alessandro Allori (Florence 1535–1607)
Madonna and Child
Oil on canvas 98 x 75 cm - Framed: 110 x 86 cm
We present this splendid Florentine work, a depiction of the Virgin holding the blessing Child in her arms, portrayed standing on an elegant cushion edged in gold.
Radiating an intense divine luminosity, the little Son of God—a source of light in His own right—is depicted as an infant with a fair complexion and thick, slightly curly blond hair.
The figure of the Madonna, on the other hand, appears full of tenderness and maternal love; with perfect features and flawlessly smooth skin, she turns her gaze toward the viewer.
The high quality evident in the execution of the figures is masterfully underscored in the rendering of the fabrics, predominantly arranged to create precious, lustrous effects, alternating mostly between lapis lazuli blue and the most iridescent red.
From the perspective of the painting’s authorship—based on both technique and stylistic rendering—the work is attributable to a Tuscan artist strongly influenced by the Florentine Alessandro Allori (Florence 1535–1607).
Trained in the workshop of Agnolo di Cosimo, where he perfected his drawing skills and the study of human anatomy, Allori completed his apprenticeship in Rome, where he was strongly influenced by the style of the great masters of Mannerism.
After returning to Florence, the artist was appointed official painter to the Medici court and, in order to meet the ever-increasing number of commissions, he established his own workshop.
In fact, the work presented here likely belongs to the circle of Alessandro Allori’s students: the name of his son and collaborator, Cristofano Allori (Florence 1577–1621)—who, like his father, was rooted in the Florentine academic tradition—might be a fitting attribution.
The attention to both meticulous detail and the naturalistic rendering of the subjects are elements that highlight how this painting bears close similarities to many works by Allori: as evident in our painting, the artist emphasizes the beauty of the Virgin, portrayed as an ethereal woman characterized by the purity of her complexion, which stands out against the monochromatic black background; yet this does not descend into affectation but is, on the contrary, imbued with a strong character.
This representational style was maintained throughout his career, which was marked by a large number of commissions for portraits. Compare some details of our work with Cristofano Allori’s self-portrait, housed at the Uffizi Palace (Vasari Corridor, Florence).
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.
