Pamono Workshop of Ippolito Scarsella / Lo Scarsellino, Madonna and Child with Saint James, 1590, Oil on Board> Old Masters|Classical

Ippolito Scarsella, known as Lo Scarsellino (Ferrara, c. 1550 – 1620), workshop
Altarpiece depicting the Madonna and Child with Saint James the Greater and the Armored Donor

Technique: Oil on panel
Dimensions: 93 x 72 cm / 109 x 86 cm with frame
Provenance: Prato, Farsetti, auction of October 28, 2016, lot 261

A majestic Madonna in Glory occupies the upper register of the canvas, seated on a blanket of shimmering clouds and surrounded by angels. She is flanked by a cherub scattering flowers from a cornucopia toward the Christ Child, who is naked and supported in both hands by his mother, as a sign of abundance.

The lower part of the composition features the figure of Saint James the Greater, one of the Twelve Apostles, standing on the right side of the altarpiece, depicted dressed in a humble tunic. One arm supports the open Gospel Book, while the other holds a cross-shaped pilgrim’s staff.

A distinctive feature of the panel is the presence in the central section, indicating its importance, of the figure of the donor, kneeling on a cushion, his hands clasped in prayer and his face gazing devoutly at the Virgin. A prayer book rests on the lectern in front of him. He is depicted as a young leader in armor, with a sword and a rich, iridescent red cloak, elements that, combined with his authoritative composure, enhance his nobility.

Unlike medieval altarpieces, the knight here is contained within the painting’s space and proportionate to the other figures, effectively becoming part of the sacred scene. His pose is reminiscent of the detail in the “Montefeltro Altarpiece” created by Piero della Francesca for Federico da Montefeltro, with him kneeling before the sacred group in the guise of a condottiere.

On the right, the view recedes into the distance, highlighting the backdrop of an urban landscape set on a hill, with a mountain range looming behind it, with the distinctive arched aqueduct that runs along the entire landscape. Presumably, these expanses once contained the donor’s estates and his hometown.

This is a quality panel, imbued with the late Mannerist style still prevalent in the second half of the 16th century. It is characterized by a “gentle and affable religiosity, rendered through a studied simplicity and grace.” It highlights the unmistakable stylistic and chromatic characteristics of the Ferrarese artist Ippolito Scarsella, known as Scarsellino (Ferrara, c. 1550–1620), one of the most important artists of Emilian art between the two centuries.

The painting, refined in its execution, likely executed by the master himself or with the collaboration of one of his students, is therefore an excellent example of his aesthetic signature. In particular, observing the dense and vibrant impasto, the brilliant tones, and the richness of the lighting effects, as well as the drawing and scenic layout, we cannot help but see a clear homage to Venetian art, primarily Paolo Veronese, as is typical of the painter’s early maturity.

In those years, the artist was seeking a synthesis between the Tuscan tradition of drawing and sculpture, and the Venetian tradition of rich chromatic orchestration.

Intended for private devotion, this beautiful, small-format painting offers a composition borrowed from the altarpiece model, but rendered more intimate and everyday by the landscape backdrop and the cloud-filled sky against which the divine apparition stands out. This genre was clearly in demand on the Ferrara market, as other versions of the same theme, with variations in the number and choice of saints, painted by Scarsellino, indicate.

The work is offered in good condition, complete with a beautiful gilded wooden frame.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The painting is sold with a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.