Attributed to Bernardino Cesari

Attributed to BERNARDINO CESARI ( Italy, 1571 - June 30, 1622)
"Perseus and Andromeda".
Oil on canvas.
Provenance: Granados Collection, Madrid.
Measurements: 49,5 x 37,5 cm.

This early Baroque composition, attributed to Bernardino Cesari, deals with one of the myths most appreciated by the Italian painting of the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century. The theme of Perseus freeing Andromeda allowed the artists of the period to combine dynamism, classical idealization and narrative drama, features very present in this work.

The scene articulates three focal points: the heroic figure of Perseus, captured in full descent; the idealized anatomy of Andromeda, treated with the elegance typical of the Roman Mannerist environment; and the sea monster in the lower area, an element that intensifies the visual tension. The contrast between the nude figure of the young woman and the energetic treatment of the hero on Pegasus responds to formal solutions characteristic of Cesari's circle, where incipient naturalism coexists with a theatrical sense inherited from late Mannerism.

The loose brushstrokes, the warm colors and the directed lighting reinforce the dynamic character of the composition and place the work within the production linked to the transition between Mannerism and Baroque in Rome. This type of version of the myth, very widespread in the art market of the period, is still appreciated for its combination of classical iconography and baroque expressiveness.