Circle of Bartolomeo Gennari

Italian school of the second half of the 17th century. Circle of BARTOLOMEO GENNARI (1594-1661).
"St. Francis praying".
Oil on canvas. Relined.
Frame in carved and gilded wood (later period):
Measurements: 68 x 59 cm; 89 x 80 cm (frame).

As we see in this "St. Francis praying", Bartolomeo Gennari's religious compositions are solemn, clear and very theatrical, directly inheriting the language of Guercino: they present monumental figures in the foreground, arranged in balanced but dynamic compositions, with expressive gestures and intensely emotional faces. In this St. Francis the chiaroscuro is fundamental, using a dark background to highlight the body and concentrate spiritual attention on the sacred episode, in this case the figure of the saint praying, reinforcing a direct narrative, understandable and designed to move the viewer and encourage religious contemplation.

Bartolomeo Gennari was an Italian Baroque painter of the seventeenth century, nephew and direct disciple of Guercino, with whom he worked closely in the environment of the Bolognese school; his work is characterized by a marked chiaroscuro, monumental figures and a strong expressiveness, focused mainly on religious and mythological themes, and after the death of Guercino continued with his family the activity of the workshop, helping to spread and preserve the style of the master in Italy and in European collections.