"Madonna with Child and Saint John the Baptist" painted on wood, 16th century.

Oil painting on wood “MADONNA WITH CHILD AND SAINT JOHN” of extraordinary elegance and refinement.

At the center of the scene, from a dark background, the Virgin Mary emerges depicted with a sweet and serene face while holding the naked Baby Jesus, covered only by a white cloth. To the right of the viewer appears a young Saint John the Baptist, recognizable by his camel skin and his stick with a cross, who tenderly turns his gaze towards Jesus.

The features of the faces are delicate and idealized, the complexions are clear and smooth with pearly shades, the pink heart-shaped mouths, the thin noses. The eyes are shiny, perfectly symmetrical, with well-calibrated reflected light and show a high level of technical mastery. The mouth of the Madonna and the Saint John the Baptist is small, modeled by a few strokes, as seen in many official portraits of the Florentine sixteenth century. The curly hair of the Baby Jesus and the young Saint John are painted with small curved brush strokes, giving a soft but controlled rendering, typical of an expert artist attentive to the pictorial surface. The Child has a composed expression and an almost statuesque pose, reminiscent of Bronzino's aesthetics.

The “verso” bears the ancient initials/monogram MP, attributable to the collector's initials.

The work can easily be placed in the context of Florentine Mannerist painting of the second half of the 16th century, showing strong stylistic affinities with Alessandro Allori or his workshop.

cm. 78x62