Francesco Albano (1578 – 1660), Workshop of - Santa Maria Maddalena penitente

Workshop of FRANCESCO ALBANI
(Bologna, 1578 – 1660)
Santa Maria Maddalena penitent
Oil on canvas, cm. 97 x 71
Frame size cm. 115 x 90 x 5 approx.

NOTE: Publication catalog of the works of the Intermidiart collection. Certificate of Legitimate Provenance. Work with wooden and gilded frame (defects):

We thank Prof. Stefano Causa for suggesting attribution to the workshop of Francesco Albani (Bologna, 1578 – 1660).

The painting depicts Saint Mary Magdalene the Penitent according to the iconographic dictates that emerged from the Counter-Reformation, designed to exalt the sacrament of penance through a deep and intimate emotional participation. The Saint is portrayed in half-figure within an oval format: her face is raised and ecstatic, turning toward the divine light, hands joined in prayer, and the long blond hair falling loose over the shoulders. Below, an open book symbolizes meditation and abandonment of earthly vanities, while in the background a rocky and wooded landscape opens up beneath a sky torn by clouds, an element typical of the naturalistic sensibility of Bologna origin.

The canvas fully fits within the production of Francesco Albani’s workshop, reflecting that ideal classicism and that softness of chromatic execution that made the master from Bologna famous. The execution attests to the work of a collaborator with excellent technical skill, capable of faithfully reproducing the delicacy of the flesh and the flowing drapery of the Saint’s mantle, echoing the models of success licensed by the Albani workshop to satisfy private collector demand of the time.

We thank Prof. Stefano Causa for suggesting attribution to the workshop of Francesco Albani (Bologna, 1578 – 1660), from which the following extract is reported: “The painting constitutes an excellent, surely antique replica of a prototype by the Bolognese painter Francesco Albani, preserved in the Capitol Museums. There exists, among others, a second identical version in the Museo Fesch of Bastia [Stefano Causa]”

The present canvas, indeed, fits into a fortunate series of late-epoch replicas derived from the famous autograph prototype by Francesco Albani. The progenitor of the composition is the Penitent Magdalene (inventory no. PC 49) executed between 1635 and 1640, today housed in the Capitoline Pinacoteca in Rome and historically originating from the prestigious Sacchetti collection (1750). The success of the iconographic formula is evidenced by the existence of other contemporary and identical redactions, among which stands out the one once belonging to the famous cardinal Joseph Fesch collection, now preserved at the Musée Fesch in Bastia, Corsica.

Francesco Albani (Bologna, 1578 – 1660) is among the leading protagonists of 17th-century classicism. He initially trained under the Flemish Denis Calvaert and then joined the famous Carracci Academy, where he absorbed the rigor of drawing and study of nature.

In the early years of the 17th century he moved to Rome to follow Annibale Carracci, taking part in important decorative projects and earning the favor of the great papal families. Returning definitively to Bologna in 1625, he established a flourishing and prolific workshop, specializing in easel paintings with mythological and sacred subjects. Renowned for his idyllic atmospheres and Arcadian landscapes of extraordinary chromatic softness, Albani enjoyed enormous success among private collectors of the time, prompting his collaborators to faithfully replicate his most fortunate compositions.

The painting is presented in generally good overall condition. The original canvas has previously undergone a re-stretching intervention that ensures structural stability to the textile support, attached to a modern wooden frame.

The painted surface shows the natural and homogeneous network of craquelure typical of the painting’s age. Under Wood lamp examination, small and widespread localized restorations are found, mainly in the background areas and along the peripheral margins of the oval, where the original pigment has been affected by contact with the frame’s rabbet. The legibility of the chiaroscuro transitions and the flesh tones of the Saint remains fully preserved, protected by a light superficial protective varnish that appears slightly yellowed with time.

The dimensions of the canvas are 97 x 71 cm.

The painting is enhanced by a gilded frame, of striking effect (the frame measures approximately 115 x 90 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 as soon as it arrives. 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 a valid reason to open a claim or request order cancellation."

PROVENANCE: Private Collection

PUBLICATION:
- UNPUBLISHED QUADRERIA, General Catalog of the paintings of the Intermidiart Gallery collection by Andrea Maggio, 2026 (pdf).

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