Nicola Grassi (1682-1748), Attributed to - San Francesco di Paola in preghiera

Nicola Grassi
(Formeaso di Zuglio, 1682 – Venezia, 1748)
Attributed to

Title: Saint Francis of Paola in prayer
Technique: Oil on canvas
Measurements: 43 × 34 cm
Measurements with frame: 54.5 × 45.5 cm
Period: 18th century

Biographical notes
Nicola Grassi was born in Formeaso di Zuglio, in Carnia, in 1682 and died in Venice in 1748. Moving at a very young age to the lagoon city, he trained with Nicolò Cassana, subsequently assimilating the experiences of Venetian painting of the early 18th century, with particular attention to the chiaroscuro of Giovanni Battista Piazzetta and the chromatic sensitivity of Giovanni Battista Pittoni.
Active between Venice and Friuli, he was especially distinguished in sacred painting and portraiture. Among his most significant works are the evangelists and prophets figures for the Venetian church of the Ospedaletto, the canvas with Rebecca and Eleazar at the well in the church of San Francesco della Vigna, and the important cycle of seventeen paintings destined for the Cathedral of Tolmezzo, commissioned by Giacomo Linussio.

Description of the work

The painting evidently depicts Saint Francis of Paola, founder of the Order of Minims, represented in half figure, with the head inclined and hands gathered in a prayerful gesture. The saint is recognizable by his elderly appearance, the thick white beard, and the austere religious habit, emerging from a dark background, while the staff appearing on the left completes the sober iconographic characterization.
The composition is entirely focused on the expressive intensity of the face and the gesture of the hands. A warm light, coming from above, illuminates the forehead, nose, and cheeks, progressively sinking the rest of the figure into shadow. The painterly material, conducted through soft tonal transitions and a palette dominated by browns and reddish earths, gives the image a character of intimate meditation.

The attribution to Nicola Grassi is proposed in consideration of the particular physiognomic characterization of the saint. The face, built through a marked tilt of the head, features eyes elongated with a slanted movement, accentuated eyebrow arches, and a prominent nose, elements that find significant affinities with the figurative types recurring in the artist’s production (see attached photograph with comparison to another famous painting by the author). The soft modulation of the flesh tones and the gradual transition from light to shadow also appear consistent with Grassi’s linguistic style, in which Venetian chiaroscural tradition blends with a special sensitivity to the expression of feelings.
The work constitutes an interesting example of eighteenth-century devotional painting, in which the simplicity of the compositional setup leaves ample room for psychological exploration and the spiritual dimension of the subject.

Condition
The painting shows signs of age and widespread craquelure of the paint surface.
Please refer to the high-resolution photographs for a precise assessment of the conservation state.

Shipping
Professional and tracked shipping, with careful packaging appropriate to the nature of the work.
Frame included with the work