St. George Slaying the Dragon
Follower of Raphael Sanzio (Urbino, 1483 – Rome, 1520), 17th-18th century
Oval oil on canvas
124 x 95 cm / Framed 148 x 118 cm
The full details of this work can be found directly at the following - LINK -
The painting vividly illustrates St. George's triumph over the dragon. St. George was a noble knight of Christian faith originally from Cappadocia (in modern-day Turkey). His wondrous adventure, fraught with symbolic meanings in the struggle between Good and Evil, has always been a favorite theme in art. In the Renaissance period, it allowed the staging of ideals and values of both chivalrous and religious nature.
The legend of St. George, saint and knight at the same time, is founded on the model of the battle led by the Archangel Michael, exemplifying the struggle of good against Evil, as described in the book of Revelation, from which, presumably, the image of the dragon is also drawn.
"One day he arrived in the kingdom of Silene, plagued by the presence of a terrible dragon, whose destructive force could only be contained by human sacrifices. It was the "soldier of Christ" who killed the dangerous beast and saved the sovereign's daughter from the monster's jaws, and as a reward, he wanted neither honors nor money, but that all the people convert to Christianity by receiving baptism."
Our painting is a good quality replica of one of the most famous creations of Raphael Sanzio's activity, the "St. George and the Dragon" [1] commissioned in 1505 by Guidobaldo da Montefeltro to be sent as a gift to Henry VII of England and now in the National Gallery of Art in Washington (Mellon Collection). Link
In the painting, St. George is captured in the moment of his triumph over the Dragon, emblem of Evil, as he pierces him with a lance.
He is depicted according to the traditional iconography, riding his steed dressed in shining armor, a crested helmet, while the changing red cloak appears inflated by the wind, enhancing the dynamism of the sculptural figure.
Set back, to the right, is the princess, composedly in prayer, watching with devotion the hero in action; while behind her we can see a building, surrounded by an extensive boundary wall to be protected from the dragon. This detail, not present in the original by Raphael, is an addition of our author certainly to honor the place of origin of the client or the place of destination of the work.
The analysis of the general stylistic characteristics of the work allows us to propose a dating of the painting between the '600s and the '700s, linked to an artist marked by Roman culture.
Good condition.
[1] Raffaello Sanzio, circa 1505, Oil on panel, Location National Gallery of Art, Washington
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The work is sold complete with a beautiful gilded wooden frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and descriptive iconographic sheet.
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