Scuola Italiana (XVIII-XIX) - Scene sacre
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Selected by Giulia Santoro
Specialised in 17th century Old Master paintings and drawings with auction house experience.
Estimate € 800 - € 1,200
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Pair of oval oil-on-canvas paintings titled Scene sacre, attributed to the Neapolitan School and dating to the late 18th century, each 40x32 cm (frame 45x37 cm), sold with frames, signed as non signed, in excellent condition.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Pair of oval paintings: Scenes of the Passion of Christ
The lot comprises two oval-shaped paintings that illustrate two pivotal and intensely dramatic moments of the Passion of Christ, designed to be displayed together:
Painting I: The Agony in the Garden of Olives (Christ in the Garden)
Jesus is depicted kneeling, arms open in a sign of acceptance of his fate. From above, among the clouds, an consoling angel appears, showing him the cup of the Passion. In the bottom right and in the foreground, wrapped in darkness, lie the three apostles (Peter, James, and John) asleep, unable to keep vigil with the Master.
Painting II: The Way to Calvary (The Fall beneath the Cross)
Christ is portrayed exhausted, fallen to the ground under the weight of the heavy wooden cross. Above him, the imposing figure of a Roman soldier in armor raises a whip (flagra) ready to strike him, intensifying the dynamic tension of the scene. In the background one can glimpse the walls of Jerusalem and the sorrowful faces of the pious women who witness the drama.
Style, Scope and Period
The works are attributed to the Neapolitan School, dating to the mid-18th century. Size is for the painting only: 40x32 cm, with a frame of 45x37 cm.
The style recalls the great Baroque and Caravaggesque tradition of the “tenebrous” and devotional painting. The unknown master uses a sober color palette, dominated by browns and earth tones, pierced by theatrical flashes of light (the red of the garments, the divine light of the angel, and the radiant aureole of Christ) to focus the viewer’s attention on the sacredness and the phàtos of the biblical narrative.
Conservation Status and Technical Notes
Technique: Oil on canvas (mounted on panel).
Painted surface: It shows a patina of age in keeping with the period, with a dense and natural network of surface craquelure (cracking). The colors retain good legibility, although a light cleaning of the oxidized varnish could bring out the midtones and the background details.
Frames: Both paintings are framed within splendid oval frames lacquered in white/ivory with a refined inner profile molded in gilt, ready for display.
Summary Sheet for the Lot
Type: Pair of paintings (Pendant)
Subject: Scenes of the Passion (Agony in the Garden / Fall beneath the Cross)
Period: Late 18th – Early 19th Century
Technique: Oil on canvas/panel
Format: Oval
Frame: Included, lacquered and gilded
Note for collectors: Series or pairs dedicated to the Stations of the Cross or the mysteries of the Passion in oval format were intended for private devotion in elegant chapels or ancestral residences. Finding an intact pair, preserving the same hand and the same frames, always represents an excellent opportunity on the antique market.
“The frame visible in the photo is included as a courtesy and does not form an integral part of the work. Any damage to the frame will not be valid grounds for complaints or order cancellations.”
Pair of oval paintings: Scenes of the Passion of Christ
The lot comprises two oval-shaped paintings that illustrate two pivotal and intensely dramatic moments of the Passion of Christ, designed to be displayed together:
Painting I: The Agony in the Garden of Olives (Christ in the Garden)
Jesus is depicted kneeling, arms open in a sign of acceptance of his fate. From above, among the clouds, an consoling angel appears, showing him the cup of the Passion. In the bottom right and in the foreground, wrapped in darkness, lie the three apostles (Peter, James, and John) asleep, unable to keep vigil with the Master.
Painting II: The Way to Calvary (The Fall beneath the Cross)
Christ is portrayed exhausted, fallen to the ground under the weight of the heavy wooden cross. Above him, the imposing figure of a Roman soldier in armor raises a whip (flagra) ready to strike him, intensifying the dynamic tension of the scene. In the background one can glimpse the walls of Jerusalem and the sorrowful faces of the pious women who witness the drama.
Style, Scope and Period
The works are attributed to the Neapolitan School, dating to the mid-18th century. Size is for the painting only: 40x32 cm, with a frame of 45x37 cm.
The style recalls the great Baroque and Caravaggesque tradition of the “tenebrous” and devotional painting. The unknown master uses a sober color palette, dominated by browns and earth tones, pierced by theatrical flashes of light (the red of the garments, the divine light of the angel, and the radiant aureole of Christ) to focus the viewer’s attention on the sacredness and the phàtos of the biblical narrative.
Conservation Status and Technical Notes
Technique: Oil on canvas (mounted on panel).
Painted surface: It shows a patina of age in keeping with the period, with a dense and natural network of surface craquelure (cracking). The colors retain good legibility, although a light cleaning of the oxidized varnish could bring out the midtones and the background details.
Frames: Both paintings are framed within splendid oval frames lacquered in white/ivory with a refined inner profile molded in gilt, ready for display.
Summary Sheet for the Lot
Type: Pair of paintings (Pendant)
Subject: Scenes of the Passion (Agony in the Garden / Fall beneath the Cross)
Period: Late 18th – Early 19th Century
Technique: Oil on canvas/panel
Format: Oval
Frame: Included, lacquered and gilded
Note for collectors: Series or pairs dedicated to the Stations of the Cross or the mysteries of the Passion in oval format were intended for private devotion in elegant chapels or ancestral residences. Finding an intact pair, preserving the same hand and the same frames, always represents an excellent opportunity on the antique market.
“The frame visible in the photo is included as a courtesy and does not form an integral part of the work. Any damage to the frame will not be valid grounds for complaints or order cancellations.”
Details
Artist
Scuola Italiana (XVIII-XIX)
Sold with frame
Yes
Sold by
Owner or reseller
Title of artwork
Scene sacre
Technique
Oil painting
Signature
Not signed
Country of origin
Italy
Condition
Excellent condition
Height
45 cm
Width
37 cm
Period
18th century
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