Carlo Maratta (1625-1713), Follower of - Sacra Famiglia con San Giovannino e cherubini

Scope: CARLO MARATTA
(Camerano, 1625 – Rome, 1713)
Sacred Family with the Little Saint John and Cherubs
Oil on canvas, cm. 20 x 30
Frame size cm. 32 x 41 x 5 approx.

NOTE: Publication catalog of works from the Intermidiart collection (pdf). Untitled work. Certificate of Guarantee and Legitimate Provenance. Work with a gilded tray frame (defects):

We present in the catalog an interesting oil on canvas of good quality, which, with refined devotional grace, depicts a fortunate theme of Roman painting from the late 17th to early 18th century: the Holy Family captured in a moment of intimate and affectionate daily life, brightened by the presence of the young Saint John the Baptist and crowned aloft by two heads of winged cherubs.
From a stylistic and formal point of view, the canvas coherently fits within the work of Carlo Maratta, the master who more than any other succeeded in codifying late Baroque Classicism, merging the rigor of Raphael and the sweetness of Guido Reni. The idealized likeness of the Virgin, caught in the classical protective gesture with a softly inclined profile, directly recalls Maratta’s Marian prototypes refined for the great Roman altarpieces. Beside her, the senile figure of Saint Joseph, participatory and thoughtful, participates in chromatic dialogue with the rest of the composition through the wide, soft folds of the ochre mantle, a typical device of the master's workshop. The luminous center is the Child Jesus, laid on a red cushion which enhances his flesh tone and the lively torsion of his body toward the Little Saint John, the latter identifiable by the traditional cartouche bearing the inscription "Ecce Agnus Dei". The fluid handling, the warm and balanced palette, and the soft chiaroscuro suggest execution by a skilled painter active in the circle or among the direct followers of Maratta, working at the end of the 17th century and into the early decades of the 18th.
Carlo Maratta (also known as Maratti) was the most influential and celebrated painter of late Baroque Rome. Born in the Marches, he moved as a very young man to Rome to the studio of Andrea Sacchi, where he absorbed the cult of the classicism of Raphael, Annibale Carracci and Guido Reni. Soon becoming the artistic reference for the papal court, Maratta led the transition of Roman painting toward a monumental and composed elegance, contrasted with the dramatic excesses of Bernini and Cortona’s Baroque. Appointed "Prince" of the Academy of Saint Luke, he ran a vast and efficient workshop that for decades disseminated his popular compositional models, influencing entire generations of painters in Italy and Europe until much of the eighteenth century.
Regarding its state of conservation, the canvas is in a fair conservational condition. The painted surface presents a patina, with a reading of the work that is clear and fully enjoyable.
The painting shows a natural and widespread aging crack (the characteristic network of fine color cracks), distributed evenly across the entire canvas: an element that, besides not disturbing the view, constitutes a precious testimony to the historical authenticity of the artifact. The paint film preserves a beautiful chromatic vivacity, especially appreciable in the brightness of the red cushion in the foreground and in the chiaroscuro transitions of the flesh tones. At close range one notes some small scattered color losses aged and slight signs of time, together with localized restorative interventions carried out in the past. These touch-ups, aimed at repairing small superficial abrasions, are well executed and perfectly blended with the original painted fabric, without altering the quality and grace of the main faces and anatomies. The canvas has maintained proper structural tension, presumably benefiting from a consolidation or lining intervention of an era. The dimensions of the small canvas are cm. 20 x 30.
The frame that encloses the painting is a highly prestigious element: a gilded tray frame – probably coeval with the work – and realized in a late Baroque/classical style. It features rich carved work with stylized foliate motifs (or elongated acanthus) repeating along the entire perimeter, creating a strong light-and-shadow effect thanks to gilding. The gilding (presumably gold leaf) shows a splendid patina of time that enhances its authenticity and antiquarian value. In works of this period, a frame that is contemporaneous and original is not only decorative but also greatly increases the overall market value of the painting (frame dimensions, cm. 32 x 41 x 5 approx., presence of 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 to you at no additional cost so that it is ready for 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 filing a claim or requesting order cancellation."

PROVENANCE: Private collection

PUBLICATION:
- Unpublished;
- I MITI E IL TERRITORIO nella Sicilia dalle mille culture. INEDITA QUADRERIA general catalog of the paintings from the cycle “I Miti e il territorio,” Publisher Lab_04, Marsala, 2026.

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