Pittore italiano (XIX sec.)

Italian painter (19th century) - Allegorical satire of the papacy and the Austrian Empire. 28.5 x 24 cm without frame, 32 x 26.5 with frame. Oil on panel, in gilded wooden frame. Condition report: Good state of preservation of the pictorial surface. - This small painting from our collection, which at first glance appears to be a harmless humorous parody, actually symbolizes historical events that actually occurred. Let's try to read the scene: the lit fireplace, the dead rooster and the details of the scattered objects convey a sense of disorder and/or social criticism. The cat with the headdress that resembles the papal mitre is a clear reference to the Catholic Church. The monkey wears the typical helmet of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The woman with the "INTENT" halo could represent the human will to control the events that are taking place, watching over them, not only morally but also with the intention, if necessary, of intervening directly (this could be the meaning of the stick that the woman is holding). The facts, we were saying: the facts are historical and probably refer to the repression of the national liberation movements within the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the mid-1800s of Bohemians, Slovenians and Croatians. In this juncture, the local Catholic hierarchy supported the imperial authorities, condemning and hindering the claims of autonomy and independence of these peoples. This occurred in the almost total indifference of the Church of Rome, which had strong political and commercial interests in the area and did not want to offend the emperor's sensitivities. In truth, some voices had been raised in the Papal State, but were quickly silenced from above. History tells, therefore, that the Church gave a big hand to the Empire and the cat that takes the chestnuts out of the fire testifies to this in our painting. The Church, therefore, became complicit in the abuses of the Empire which suffocated in blood (the slaughtered rooster) the revolutionary movements of the time, failing to uphold the charter on human rights drawn up in Paris in 1789, during the French Revolution. This is the last document we find in our painting: the treaty on human rights, written in French, which we find here on the ground, torn up. In addition to the cat's cunning, the monkey's inefficiency and corruption, the allegorical figure of the woman (Europe?) remains strongly dominant in the painting, threatening with the stick to intervene, but who will never do so. - All shipments within the EU are free and professionally packed. - Each item is sold with a certificate of authenticity with legal validity. - Further details on the condition report are available upon request. - Viezzi Arte guarantees quality and professionalism at competitive prices, contact us at info@viezziarte.it or via WhatsApp at +39 3402841279. *Message to non-Italian buyers: Please note that this work has not yet obtained the certificate of free export from Italy from the Superintendency of Cultural Heritage. This document certifies that the work is not part of Italian cultural heritage. Normally the release times for the certificates are 40 days from the date of the appointment: The new legislation in force from 2021 provides, for amounts declared less than €13,500, shorter times at the discretion of the expert commission. All costs of this operation are included.