Pier Dandini (1646–1712), Circle of - David e Abigail

Circle of PIER DANDINI
(Firenze, 1646 – 1712)
David and Abigail
Oil on canvas, cm. 62.4 x 82.4
Size with frame, cm. 73 x 93 x 5 approx.

NOTE: Publication catalog of the works from the Intermidiart collection. Certificate of Guarantee and Legitimate Provenance. The work with gilded frame (defects):

We present in the catalog an interesting oil-on-canvas painting of good pictorial quality depicting the Biblical episode of the meeting between David and Abigail, drawn from the First Book of Samuel (1 Samuel 25).
The scene represents the moment when Abigail, a wise and virtuous woman, kneels before the future king David — depicted in classical ancient armor and accompanied by a dog and his soldiers — to offer gifts and provisions, appeasing his wrath and thus saving her family from the vengeance provoked by her husband Nabal’s folly.
The composition, structured in several groups of figures and developed in a balanced middle format, presents a dynamic and well-orchestrated scenographic construction. On the left stands the figure of David, depicted in armor beside the faithful dog, while the narrative core of the work is formed by the group placed in the lower right, where Abigail, kneeling at the center of the scene, mediates the tension of the tale through an eloquent and theatrical gesture.
The painting, traditionally attributed in the provenance collection to the Flemish Baroque painter Abraham Willemsens (Antwerp, 1614–1672), appears, however, more correctly attributable, with due caution, to the school of Pier Dandini (Florence, 1646–1712), pupil and collaborator of the more famous Vincenzo Dandini. This attribution proposal is supported by the facial features of the figures, characterized by small faces and strongly defined, often outlined by sharp and pointed profiles.
The composition, animated by an intense sense of movement, a vibrant luminosity and the use of a palette of pure and bright colors, seems to belong to a late phase of the master’s activity or that of his circle, when the influences of Florentine painting by Luca Giordano are evident.
Indeed, the work reveals some of the distinctive traits of Pier Dandini’s language: the refined figurative lexicon of Cortona school origin, recognizable in the repertoire of antique citations, the monumentality of poses and the pronounced chromatic and luminous intensity. Similar stylistic and compositional solutions are found in several mature works by the artist, particularly in the roundness of the faces, the loose and fluid brushwork, and the dramatic and richly moving theatrical layout, elements that find significant precedents in the painting of Livio Mehus, whom Dandini regarded with interest.
Among the main protagonists of the evolution of late Tuscan Baroque, Pier Dandini was the author of numerous paintings with historical, religious and mythological subjects, as well as an impressive graphic production. Ottaviano Targioni Tozzetti, his biographer and collector, recalls a collection of over fifteen hundred drawings by the artist. Coming from a famous family of painters, Dandini developed his language through frequent stays in Bologna, Venice, Modena and Rome. Protected and supported by the Medici family, in particular by the prince Ferdinando and the Grand Duke of Tuscany, he received important public and religious commissions. Among his works are remembered the interventions for the Florentine churches of San Jacopo Soprarno and San Frediano, the lunettes for the San Giovannino degli Scolopi complex, and the painting depicting Saint Francis kept in the Roman Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
Regarding its state of conservation, the canvas presents generally discrete conditions considering the painting’s age, with the painted surface showing an aged varnish. Some restorations are visible under Wood lamp. The painting may have previously undergone re-stretching with frame replacement. The canvas measurements are 62.4 x 82.4 cm. The work is enhanced by a beautiful gilded frame, of notable effect (frame size 73 x 93 x 5 cm, with defects).
"The frame shown in the photos above has been added to the artwork by the seller or by a third party. The frame is provided at no additional cost so that it is ready to display upon arrival. The frame is included as a courtesy and is not considered an integral part of the artwork. Therefore, any potential damage to the frame that does not affect the artwork itself will not be accepted as grounds for opening a claim or requesting order cancellation."

PROVENANCE: Private Collection

PUBLICATION:
- Unpublished;
- I MITI E IL TERRITORIO in Sicily through a thousand cultures. UNPUBLISHED QUADRERIA catalog of the paintings in the cycle “The Myths and the Territory”, Editor Lab_04, Marsala, 2026 (Pdf).

In the case of sale outside Italian territory, the buyer must await the processing times for export procedures.