Emilian school, 17th century, Holy Family

Emilian School, 17th century
Holy Family
Oil on copper applied to table, 23 x 17.5 cm - with frame 38 x 34 cm

The work in question presents an elegant Holy Family that sees depicted the Virgin and Child in her arms, lying on the trunk of the tree, while St. Joseph leans behind her. The elements of particular importance are the figure of the father of Jesus, who stands protectively against the family and the landscape context with the imposing tree trunk that serves as a scenic backdrop for the composition. These elements become necessary to set the painting on two parallel diagonals, one created by the characters themselves, which are grouped following a vertical course to close with the figure of Joseph; the other, instead, outlined by natural elements. Copper is characterized by the preciousness evident in the drapery, cut by strong lines, particularly visible in the garment that curls on Mary's lap, but also for the profusion of gold used to finish the edges of the woman's mantle and halos. Even the rendering of the incarnations becomes precious in the distinction between the ethereal and rosy ones of the Madonna and Child and the clearly darker one of Giuseppe, as if to underline the divine and earthly nature of the characters. See some works by Ippolito Scarsella from Ferrara as a term of comparison, especially for setting the scene with the mighty shrub and laying of the Holy Family, as can be seen in the paintings of the Borghese Gallery, in the two in the private collection, in addition to the one at the Ravenna Art Museum. Born in Ferrara and known in the Ferrara school, Ippolito Scarsella, known as Scarsellino, was a mannerist painter. His first apprenticeship took place at his father, Sigismondo Scarsella (1530-1614), who was a painter and architect. Scarsellino then expanded his sources of inspiration, traveling to Bologna and then to Venice. We remember a rather long internship at the Veronese workshop, operating in Venice, where he had the opportunity to meet other painters from the Venetian school. Here he assimilates the Mannerist style and the revolution of movement and color imposed by Titian. As soon as he returned to Ferrara, Scarsellino began working at the Palazzo dei Diamanti, together with the Carracci family, especially Ludovico (1555-1619). Among the Ferrarese, the work of Dosso Dossi (1490-1542) was very important to him and he also studied the work of Parmigianino (1503-1540). Most of his paintings are commissioned by Religious Institutes and it is still easy to find works by Scarsellino in the major churches of the city in Ferrara.