Scuola Italiana (XVIII-XIX) - Scene sacre

Pair of oval paintings: Scenes of the Passion of Christ

The lot consists of two oval-shaped paintings that illustrate two salient and intensely dramatic moments of the Passion of Christ, designed to be exhibited together:
Painting I: The Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (Christ in the Garden)
Jesus is depicted kneeling, arms outstretched in a sign of accepting his fate. From above, among the clouds, an comforting angel appears showing him the chalice of the Passion. In the lower right foreground, three apostles (Peter, James, and John) lie sleeping, wrapped in darkness, unable to keep vigil with the Master.
Painting II: The Way to Calvary (The Fall under the Cross)
Christ is portrayed exhausted, fallen to the ground beneath the weight of the heavy wooden cross. Above him, the imposing figure of a Roman soldier in armor raises a whip (flaggellum) ready to strike, intensifying the dynamic tension of the scene. In the background are glimpses of the walls of Jerusalem and the sorrowful faces of the pious women who witness the drama.
Style, Scope and Epoch
The works are attributed to the Neapolitan School, datable to the mid-18th century. Each painting measures only: 40 x 32 cm, with a frame of 45 x 37 cm
The style draws on the great baroque and Caravaggesque tradition of the “tenebroso” devotional painting. The unknown master uses a severe chromatic palette, dominated by brown and earth tones, pierced by theatrical bursts of light (the red of the garments, the divine light of the angel, and Christ’s radiant halo) to focus the viewer’s attention on the sacredness and the pathos of the biblical narrative.
Condition and Technical Notes
Technique: Oil on canvas (applied on panel).
Pictorial surface: Shows an aged patina consistent with the period, with a dense and natural network of surface craquelure. The colors retain good legibility, although a light cleaning of the oxidized varnish could bring back the mid-tones and the background details.
Frames: Both paintings are framed within splendid oval frames lacquered in white/ivory with a refined molded inner gold leaf profile, ready for display.
Lotto Summary Sheet
Type: Pair of paintings (Pendant)
Subject: Scenes of the Passion (Agony in the Garden / Fall under the Cross)
Era: 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 to the mysteries of the Passion in oval format were intended for private devotion in private chapels of noble houses or patriarchal residences. Finding an intact pair that preserves 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 is not an integral part of the artwork. Any damage to the frame will not be grounds for complaints or order cancellations.”