Francesco Rizzo da Santacroce (1485 - 1545)

"Sacra Conversazione" (Holy Conversation) Madonna praying over the Child among Saints John the Baptist and Catherine of Alexandria Francesco Rizzo da Santacroce (Bergamo 1485 – Venice, after 1545) Oil on canvas 16th century period Canvas: cm. 95 x 73 Frame: cm. 111 x 87 Excellent condition This elegant 16th-century canvas depicts a typical scene called "Sacra Conversazione" and presents the unmistakable characteristics of Venetian Renaissance painting. The Virgin prays with her hands clasped and her adoring gaze directed downward towards the Child, lying on a white sheet with legs crossed and a hand clenched in a fist on his mouth. On either side of the two protagonists, Saints John the Baptist and Catherine of Alexandria turn towards them showing their respective iconographic attributes; the banner with the words "Ecce Agnus Dei" and the toothed wheel of martyrdom. The theme of the Sacra Conversazione began to spread in Italian painting towards the middle of the 15th century with the two splendid altarpieces by Beato Angelico and Piero della Francesca executed respectively in 1440 and approximately 1470 and gradually replaced the sectional layout of the triptych and polyptych of medieval origin. It represented one of the great innovations of Renaissance sacred art, lending itself to more modern scenographic solutions compared to Gothic canons. The Virgin with Child is always depicted in the center of an enclosed space or outdoors, between a variable number of Saints depicted on her sides. Our canvas stands out for its remarkable stylistic elegance and for the refinement of the characters' faces, the female ones being very sweet and the Baptist's face being equally severe. The position of the child is particularly successful, which the Author presents identically in other compositions. The work is in fact one of the most successful Sacre Conversazioni executed by the Bergamasco master Francesco Rizzo da Santacroce, specialized in this type of sacred paintings, active mainly in Venice in the first half of the 16th century. He often keeps the two central figures of the Virgin with Child unchanged and changes the side figures depending on the requests of the clients. All the details on the private website: https://www.antichitaischia.it/it/prodotto/-sacra-conversazione-- We issue a stamped and signed certificate of authenticity which guarantees the era, origin and all the characteristics of the work, drawn up by an Antique dealer affiliated with FIMA (FEDERAZIONE ITALIANA MERCANTI D'ARTE – ITALIAN FEDERATION OF ART DEALERS). Delivery in Italy and throughout Europe within 3 days of receiving the bank transfer. The shipment is tracked and insured and travels with careful shockproof packaging inside a custom-made wooden crate. Negotiable price and personalized payment.