Italian school; second half of the 18th century.
"Allegory of the arts and sciences".
Oil on canvas (x2). Re-embossed.
Measurements: 64 x 96 cm (x2).
Open live auction
DESCRIPTION
Italian school; second half of the 18th century.
"Allegory of the arts and sciences".
Oil on canvas (x2). Re-embossed.
Measurements: 64 x 96 cm (x2).
These two paintings of the Italian school of the second half of the 18th century represent a refined example of illustrated allegory, where the arts and sciences are celebrated within an idyllic and Arcadian context. In both compositions there is a clear desire to integrate the enlightened ideal with the visual language of the late rococo, resorting to classical settings in ruins, cultivated gardens and elegantly attired figures engaged in intellectual and cultural activities, emblems of knowledge and civilization.
The first scene depicts a gathering of characters in a gallant and conversational attitude, surrounded by classical columns and ruins, evoking the conversational painting that developed so much in Europe in this period. The female figures, relaxed but attentive, are accompanied by musical instruments, books or simply gestures of dialogue, which allows us to read this scene as an allegory of the arts, particularly literature, music and painting. The presence of the cultivated landscape and the decaying architectural elements underline the contrast between domesticated nature and the cultural heritage of Antiquity, the central axis of Enlightenment thought.
In the second image, the theme shifts towards an exaltation of science. The characters, also dressed in refined clothing, interact with scientific instruments: telescopes, armillary spheres, compasses and maps, all symbols of empirical and rational knowledge. The scene retains the same elegant and decorative tone as the previous one, but is centered on exploration and observation, presenting science as an activity that is not only useful, but also pleasurable and harmonious. The atmosphere continues to be pastoral, but suggests an enlightened order where reason, curiosity and education take the place of passions.
From the technical point of view, both works show an agile and decorative execution, typical of the Rococo style in its final phase. The brushstroke is loose, with bright touches of color in the clothing and a warm palette that stands out against softly atmospheric backgrounds. The treatment of landscape and architecture, although not seeking topographical or anatomical precision, fulfills an effective narrative and symbolic function, framing the human figures within an idealized space. The composition is organized in open diagonals that invite the eye to travel lightly through the scene, creating an effect of pleasing continuity.
The choice of these allegorical themes in eighteenth-century Italian painting responds to a moment of cultural transition in which the art academies, driven by the Enlightenment ideology, promoted the integration of the fine arts and the sciences within the same formative horizon. Far from religious dramas or baroque heroic deeds, this type of work celebrates a harmonious and cultivated vision of the world, a reflection of an enlightened elite that aspired to reform society through knowledge and sensitivity.
These paintings, although not necessarily masterpieces in terms of individual workmanship, acquire notable importance within the artistic panorama of their time for their ability to visually synthesize the intellectual ideals of the eighteenth century. They represent not only an aesthetic taste, but also an ethical and philosophical stance that places the arts and sciences as essential foundations of an advanced and humanistic civilization.
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