Pellegro Piola

Width cm. 170 height cm. 133 Pellegro Piola was a Genoese painter active in the early Baroque period, whose career was abruptly cut short by his premature death at the age of just 23. Brother of the more famous Domenico Piola, he trained in the lively Genoese painting school of the seventeenth century. Despite the brevity of his life, Pellegro left several works that demonstrate an extraordinary compositional ability and a refined sense of color. The work depicts the mystical marriage of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, an iconographic theme very common in the Genoese Baroque. At the center of the scene, the Virgin Mary holds the Child Jesus, who offers the wedding ring to Saint Catherine, kneeling in an attitude of devotion. The Saint, dressed in a richly decorated dress, represents the mystical union with Christ, symbolizing her total consecration to God. On the right, an angel with hands clasped in prayer attends the scene, contributing to the sacred atmosphere of the event. Above, a flying putto holds a cloth, accentuating the theatricality typical of Baroque painting. The composition is balanced and characterized by a strong emotional intensity, underlined by the use of chiaroscuro and the softness of the chromatic shades. This painting falls within the characteristic style of Pellegro Piola, which is distinguished by the elegance of the figures and the sweetness of the expression. Bibliography: S. Schmidt, The Genoese school of the seventeenth century, Genoa, 1987; G. Alizeri, News of the professors of design in Liguria, Genoa, 1870; L.. Sòriga, Painting in Liguria in the 17th century, Genoa, 1995; V.Zanolla, Pellegro Piola, Genoa 1993