Bottega Lorenzo Lotto (Venezia 1480 - Loreto 1557)

Workshop of Lorenzo Lotto (Venice, 1480 – Loreto, 1556/1557) Attributed to Durante Nobili or di Nobile (Caldarola, 1509/1510 - Montolmo, before 1593) Christ and the Adulteress Second half of the 16th century Oil on canvas (104 x 135 cm. - Framed 130 x 158 cm.) Provenance: Tuscan private collection Expertise by Prof. Emilio Negro (Bologna) We are sharing this valuable work of art and significant collector's item, an oil painting on canvas that presents the famous 'Christ and the Adulteress,' which was created in numerous versions by Lorenzo Lotto between 1527 and 1529, of which there are at least two autograph copies, one preserved at the Pontifical Museum of the Ancient Treasury of the Holy House of Loreto (image 1, canvas, cm. 105 x 132), the other at the Louvre Museum in Paris (canvas, cm. 124 x 156), as well as others attributed to the workshop, such as the one in the Spada Gallery in Rome (image 2, canvas, cm. 104 × 131), very similar to our work. In his composition, Lorenzo Lotto chooses to deviate from the usual iconography of the Gospel episode (John 8:1-6), focusing on the moment of reflection that preceded the famous passage: "He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone." The scantily clad woman, caught in the act of adultery, is taken by her hair and brought before Christ to argue about the penalty of stoning imposed on the sinner by the law of Moses. The latter, irradiated by the candor of light that the painter casts on the complexions, looks beautiful and elegant, albeit visibly suffering, surrounded by the morbid wickedness of the crowd. The solemn and hieratic figure of Christ is placed in the center of the canvas, expressing himself through his firm gestures, with his right arm raised to prohibit the arrogant human clamor, and as if to protect the woman, while with his left he expresses the inverted sign of the blessing, with his fingers pointing downwards. The firmness of his figure, with a penetrating gaze, invites us to associate the humiliation of the adulteress with the future suffering of him who offers himself as a sacrifice for the sins of men; Among the bystanders, on the left, a group of Pharisees can be distinguished by their peculiar headdresses and the physiognomic accentuation of their somatic traits, among whom stands out a richly dressed old man, caught in the gesture of "disputatio," emphatically listing the woman's faults. It is interesting to note how, in the gestures and theatricality of the characters, as well as in the invention of the compressed figures in the foreground, there is a revival of Leonardo's and Nordic models, from Dürer to Cranach. After analyzing the details of the iconography, we now turn to the style of execution that reveals the undeniable and close relationship with that of the great Venetian master; in particular, it reveals the modus operandi of one of his main pupils, specifically that of Durante di Nobile or Nobili (Caldarola, 1509/ 1510-4 Montolmo, before 1593), his close collaborator at the time of his important stay in the Marche region. The professional relationships between Nobili and Lorenzo Lotto are documented from 1548, with numerous cases of four-handed collaborations to satisfy the requests coming from monastic orders and the aristocracy of the more secluded pontifical province. Among the many works created together with the Venetian master, we can name the Assunta for S. Francesco alle Scale in Ancona and also the decoration of the frame of a lost S. Girolamo painted for Cardinal Pio da Carpi. The fame acquired with his painting then also allowed him an excellent independent career, which we can place between 1562 and 1570, although the warm chromatic tone of this 'Christ and the Adulteress' allows us to attribute it to Nobili in credible collaboration with the great lagoon painter, as evidenced by the comparison with his production, in which he was able to infuse a creative intensity of good evocative and psychological force, even in the Lottesque observance. Image.1: Lorenzo Lotto, Christ and the Adulteress, Museum - Ancient Treasure Holy House, Loreto URL: https://lorenzolottomarche.it/itinerario/loreto/cristo-e-ladultera-1548-1550 Image.2: Lorenzo Lotto (anonymous workshop), Christ and the Adulteress - Galleria Spada, Rome URL: https://catalogo.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/scheda/opera/49665/Anonimo%20sec.%20XVI%2C%20Cristo%20e%20l... ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The work sold is completed by a beautiful frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and guarantee. We handle and organize the transport of purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers. It is also possible to see the painting in the gallery of 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. Follow us also on: INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/