18th Century

18th Century

Madonna of the Goldfinch

Tempera on vellum, 18 x 14 cm

Frame, 22 x 18 cm

This refined work on vellum, dating back to the 18th century, is firmly rooted in the sophisticated Neoclassical tradition. During this period, the reproduction of Renaissance masterpieces was viewed not as a mere technical exercise, but as an act of aesthetic devotion and philological study regarding the canons of ideal beauty. The piece reproduces with meticulous skill Raphael's celebrated Madonna del Cardellino, an iconography that enjoyed renewed popularity in the 1700s thanks to the rediscovery of Classicism and the pursuit of graceful, pyramidal compositional harmony. This harmony is faithfully restored here through the sweetness of the faces and the silent dialogue between the Virgin, the infant Saint John, and the Christ Child.

The master from Urbino originally created the painting around 1506 during his pivotal Florentine period. The original work was a prestigious wedding gift for his close friend Lorenzo Nasi, a wealthy wool merchant, demonstrating how Raphael's art was already the preferred language for the high bourgeoisie and aristocracy to celebrate family bonds and domestic devotion.

The use of vellum, typical of luxury production intended for an aristocratic and cultured clientele, evokes the preciousness of manuscript illumination. This support allowed the artist to achieve effects of extreme clarity and vibrant color saturation, where the chiaroscuro transitions become subtle and almost porcelain-like. The choice of vellum in the mid-18th century testifies to the survival of an ancient technique which, even in an era of large canvases, was preferred for small-scale objects destined for private collections or cabinets de curiosités. In these contexts, the skill in copying the great masters served as a bridge between the glory of the past and the rational sensibility of the Enlightenment.

The author of this vellum demonstrates a profound knowledge of 16th-century art history, recovering not only the iconography but also that sense of universal harmony that the Nasi commission had sought in Raphael. Through a minute and vibrant pictorial application, the artist enhances the transparency of the flesh tones and the depth of the Umbrian-Toscano landscape, transforming this version into a refined homage to universal Classicism.

Italy only: with Ars Antiqua it is possible to defer all amounts up to a maximum € 7,500 at ZERO RATE, for a total of 15 INSTALLMENTS.

Unpardoned. Vault. € 4,500 = Monthly instalment € 300 for 15 months.

Unpardoned. Vault. € 3,600 = Monthly instalment € 720 for 5 months.

For amounts greater than €7,500 or for a longer period of time (over 15 installments), we can provide a personalized payment.

Contact us directly to get the best quote.

LIVE TV

– SUNDAY 17.00 – 21.00 Dig.terr. 126 - Sky 824

– Streaming on our site www.arsantiquasrl.com and on our social networks Facebook and Youtube

All the works proposed by Ars Antiqua are sold accompanied by a certificate of authenticity in accordance with the law and an accurate in-depth sheet.

It is possible to see the works directly at the showroom gallery in Milan, in via Pisacane 55 and 57.

We personally organize transport and deliveries of the works, both for Italy and abroad.