Giacomo Stella (Brescia 1545 - Roma 1630)

Giacomo Stella (Brescia 1545 - Rome 1630) Allegory of Wisdom (or Prudence) Oil on canvas 193 x 75 cm., Framed 199 x 82 cm. The work is accompanied by a critical study written by Professor Emilio Negro (Bologna) All details relating to this painting can be viewed at the following - link - The beautiful allegorical composition in question, which portrays a proud female figure with a double face, was originally conceived to be part of the representative furnishings of a large noble palace, and represents the personification of the cardinal virtue of Wisdom (which corresponds to Prudence in Catholic theology). It is one of the four virtues that, together with Fortitude, Temperance, and Justice, were classified by Plato in his Phaedrus, and then also adopted by the Christian religion, to encompass the main human virtues, equated to the pillars of a life dedicated to goodness and righteousness. For the ancients, Prudence was considered the most important virtue available to man and the guide for all others (auriga virtutum): specifically, it is the ability to discern, in every circumstance, our true good and to choose the appropriate means to achieve it. The iconographic representation, in our case, sees a woman with a statuesque physicality with two faces like Janus who look - wisely - in multiple directions at the same time. The first face, young and therefore alluding to the present, is turned towards a mirror, which expresses the need for man to know himself and to correct any defects before acting. The second face is that of an old man, and instead symbolizes past experience, without which the virtue of Prudence is not acquired. A snake is coiled around the woman's right arm, an ancient symbol of Time that renews cyclically and of eternity, thus alluding to the perpetual need to exercise this virtue. The snake is likewise a symbol of the temptation that wants to lead us away from the safest path, recalling the passage of the Gospel of Matthew "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves" (Matthew, 10, 16). The work, whose execution expresses elegance and power at the same time, can be attributed to Giacomo Stella (Brescia 1545 - Rome 1630), a significant mannerist artist active between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, from Brescia by origin but active especially in Rome, where he moved at a young age, under the pontificates of Gregory XIII (1572-1585) and his successors Sixtus V (1585-1590) and Urban VIII. In the papal city, he came into contact with Girolamo Muziano and Cesare Nebbia, active in many of the main late 16th-century projects commissioned by the papacy. Among these, the most important is the fresco of one of the major religious works of the time, the construction and decoration of the Sistine Chapel in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (not to be confused with that of the Vatican), intended to become the funerary chapel for Pope Sixtus V. A painter of great temperament and endowed with a beautiful naturalist flair, the large frescoes of the 'Resurrection' and the 'Creation of Eve', at the Scala Santa in Rome, are certainly due to his unique hand. The painting is in good condition. The painting is sold together with a pleasant gilded wooden frame. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The work is sold accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet. We handle and organize the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers. It is also possible to see the painting in the gallery in Riva del Garda, we will be happy to welcome you to show you our collection of works. Contact us, without obligation, for any additional information. Also follow us on: https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/