Attributed to Gabriel De La Corte

Attributed to GABRIEL DE LA CORTE (Madrid, 1648 - 1694).
Spanish school, 17th century.
"Ascension of the Virgin with a garland of flowers".
Oil on canvas.
Re-drawn.
Measurements: 76,5 x 58 cm: 99 x 82 cm (frame).
This painting follows a compositional scheme that was very popular during the Spanish Baroque period: the religious theme is surrounded by a garland of sensual flowers whose prominence is not less than that of the central theme. Gabriel de la Corte's hand is recognisable in the way the varied bouquets of brightly coloured bouquets, in which a dense brushstroke of brilliant pigment has been used, are resolved. The chromatic juiciness of the floral piece is a move towards rococo solutions, which break up symmetry and tend towards horror vacui. The painter has frozen the flower's moment of maximum maturity, prior to its decay. The enormous corollas dwarf the central image, which depicts the Ascension of the Virgin, another typical Baroque theme: three angels lead Mary to heaven. Dressed in the classic symbolic colours (white and blue), her garments flutter and give a sense of movement. The dark background emphasises the thickness of the garland and the Marian body, drawing out a wide range of tonalities. The freedom of execution and vigorous brushstrokes are reminiscent of the work of the master from Madrid.
Specialising in vases, Gabriel de la Corte was the son of Lucas de la Corte, also a painter from Madrid, although his paternity has been the subject of debate among important scholars such as Antonio Palomino and Cean Bermúdez. De la Corte enjoyed little success during his lifetime, which led him to eke out a meagre living by painting for low prices and even completing the works of other artists by inserting flowers into their works. He was known for his use of an overloaded composition in which freedom of execution and a spontaneous, vigorous brushstroke full of matter are the main features. De la Corte's style is influenced by those of Arellano and anticipates the flower still lifes that would later be crowded with complicated compositions on elaborate cartouches. Some important works by De la Corte are preserved in the Museo del Prado, among other important institutions.