Italian school of the XVII century, old attribution to CARLO DOLCI

Italian school of the seventeenth century, ancient attribution to CARLO DOLCI (Florence, Italy, 1616-1686).

"Saint Catherine of Siena."
Oil on canvas.
Relined.
With label on the back.
It presents xylophages and damages in the frame and stretcher frame.
Measurements: 61,5 x 50,5 cm; 64 x 52 cm (frame).

This work is a remarkable example of the style of the Florentine baroque painter Carlino Dolci. The painting represents Saint Catherine of Siena, in a moment of ecstasy or deep devotion. A lateral light source selectively illuminates the face, veil, hands and symbolic objects. This chiaroscuro models the forms while infusing the scene with a deep spirituality, focusing the viewer's attention on the face and gesture of the saint.

Unlike the crude realism of other Baroque painters, Dolci is famous for the sweetness and idealization of his figures. The face of the saint is of a serene and delicate beauty, with her eyes lowered in a gesture of humility and inner contemplation. Her expression is of an intense but soft and melancholic piety. The saint's skin is depicted with extremely smooth color transitions, giving her a porcelain-like appearance. Every detail, from the folds of the veil to the petals of the lilies and the texture of the wood of the crucifix, is executed with meticulous precision.

The work features a close, half-length framing that eliminates any distractions and creates an intimate, personal connection with the figure. The composition is carefully balanced: the diagonal of the tilted face is complemented by the diagonal of her hands and the crucifix, guiding the viewer's gaze through the key elements of the painting. As was common in Counter-Reformation religious painting, each element has a meaning: the lilies are a traditional symbol of purity and virginity, and the crucifix is a badge of devotion.

Carlino Dolci was an Italian Baroque painter, active mainly in Florence, known for his religious paintings, which were often copied by other artists of successive generations. He was born in Florence, the grandson of a painter on his mother's side. He began his apprenticeship with Jacopo Vignali at a very early age, later becoming apprentice to Mario Balassi, at whose death he completed some works left unfinished by the master. According to his biographer Filippo Baldinucci he was not a prolific painter, hence he did not do fresco painting, which needs a certain speed in execution. Although his works are small in size, he made some life-size ones. He repeated his compositions frequently, slightly modifying the versions. His daughter, Agnese Dolci, made copies of many of them. His anecdotes, contradictory and legendary, suggest that in 1682 he suffered a deep depression when he learned that Luca Giordano, nicknamed Luca fa presto, painted in five hours what had taken him several months. He died in Florence in 1686.