Italian school (XVIII) - Ex voto con miracolo della Vergine e Bambino

Ex voto for grace received Italian popular painter, 18th century “Ex voto with Virgin and Child Miracle” 1775 Oil on canvas Inscription at bottom: «EX VOTO, 1775» Measurements: 59 x 46 cm in frame Canvas: 51 x 38 cm Description The painting constitutes a significant testimony of eighteenth-century votive painting, realized as a thanks for a grace received. The composition is organized according to the traditional distinction between earthly space and celestial space. In the lower part, the episode that would have originated the vow is depicted. At the center of the scene stands a cow, around which a group of men, women and children are arranged. Almost all the characters adopt attitudes of prayer and supplication: some are kneeling, others join their hands or extend them toward the sky. On the right a male figure, standing, dressed according to eighteenth-century fashion, participates in the scene with a broad gesture of his arms. The prominent presence of the animal allows one to hypothesize that the grace requested or received was connected precisely to livestock, a economically fundamental element in the rural society of the time: it could be the healing of the animal, its saving from a disease or accident, or a prodigious event involving the depicted family. In the absence of any further explanatory inscription, it is preferable not to specify the nature of the miracle beyond that. In the upper left corner, separated ideally from the earthly dimension by a luminous mass of clouds, appears the Virgin with Jesus Child, accompanied by a second female figure. It is the supernatural manifestation toward which the devout gaze and gestures converge. The hierarchical arrangement—divine apparition above and beneficiaries of grace below—belongs fully to the iconographic tradition of ex votos. Particularly important is the large inscription «EX VOTO, 1775», painted directly along the lower edge: not only does it unequivocally declare the devotional function of the work, but it also provides a precise chronological reference. Stylistic considerations The painting bears the characteristics typical of popular and devotional production of the eighteenth century: tiny figures, accentuated gesturalism, immediate narrative construction, and a perspective subordinated to the need to make the event clearly understandable. The painter seems primarily interested in narrating the miracle rather than in the academic correctness of proportions. It is precisely this immediacy that constitutes one of the most authentic and fascinating elements of votive painting: the work is born as a concrete testimony of a lived event and of the devotion of a community or of a family. The palette, today strongly conditioned by the state of conservation, preserves interesting chromatic accents in the reds, greens and blues of the garments, contrasted with the brown and earthy tones of the lower scene. Conservation status From the photographs a rather compromised but perfectly legible conservation state emerges. There are evident widespread losses and abrasions of the paint layer, especially in the upper half and in the sky and cloud areas; craquelure, wear, small gaps and surface alterations compatible with the age of the work are also present. Some areas seem to have lost part of the original veils and finishes. Before any intervention it would be advisable to verify the possible presence of overpaintings or old restorations. A cleaning performed by a qualified restorer could probably recover greater legibility of chromatic relationships and of some currently subdued details, without removing the historical patina. Frame The frame currently present, in carved dark-toned wood with a gilded inner edge, appears much more recent than the painting and essentially serves a protective and decorative function. *** Note on photographs Some of the accompanying photographs for this sheet were professionally produced with controlled artificial lighting, using a studio spotlight, in order to guarantee better readability of the work and allow a more precise observation of the painting surface, the figural details and the color. The frame is supplied with the work as a courtesy gift and does not constitute a substantial part of the sale. Any imperfections, missing parts or damage to the frame, including those resulting from transport, cannot therefore constitute grounds for dispute or compensation regarding the work. - Certificate of rightful provenance and Expertise - Insured shipping and electronic invoicing

Estimation:€500

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