Circle of Francesco Bianchi 15th century.

School of Modena, Circle of FRANCESCO BIANCHI (1447 -1510); XV century.
"Saint Sebastian".
Tempera on panel partially gilded.
In good state of conservation according to the passage of time.
It has a frame of the second half of the nineteenth century.
Provenance: Spanish private collection and Bonhams London 2009.
Measurements: 42 x 29 cm; 77 x 63 cm (frame).

This delicate devotional representation of Saint Sebastian is inscribed in the refined pictorial context of the Modena School of the Quattrocento and is closely related, for its stylistic features, to the circle of Francesco Bianchi, one of the most influential figures of Modenese painting at the end of the 15th century. The model of the saint bears a remarkable affinity with the Saint Sebastian that appears in The Virgin and Child and Saints, a work by Bianchi preserved in the church of San Pietro in Modena, which reinforces its link with this artistic environment.
The saint, depicted tied to a column and pierced by an arrow, nevertheless conveys a deep inner serenity. His restrained and spiritualized expression fully responds to his devotional function, inviting an intimate contemplation rather than the drama of martyrdom. The artist achieves a balanced dialogue between medieval tradition and the new Renaissance aspirations: the gilded background, meticulously worked, still refers to late Gothic sacred painting, while the softly modeled anatomy and the idealized naturalism of the body, inspired by the classical canon, already announce a more modern and humanist language.
To this desire for renewal is added the inclusion of architectural elements treated in monochrome, conceived to suggest a plausible space. This resource, characteristic of Bianchi's circle, is evidence of the assimilation of the innovations of the early Renaissance. Particularly significant is the design of the plinth, which coincides with that of the stairs depicted in the Annunciazione (1506-1512) by Francesco Bianchi Ferrari and Giovanni Antonio Scacceri, now in the Galleria Estense in Modena. This ornamental affinity reinforces the attribution to the Modenese sphere and underlines the intense stylistic dialogue between the works produced by this dynamic workshop.
The painting stands out for the quality of its drawing, the exquisite delicacy of the gilding and the maturity with which it articulates tradition and modernity, making it a particularly successful example of transitional art in northern Italy. Its good state of preservation, its balanced proportions and the attractive nineteenth-century frame that accompanies it enhance its visual presence and its aesthetic value, making this work of great interest to both collectors and lovers of Quattrocento Italian painting: intimate, select and fully representative of a school that today is especially appreciated in the market.