Massimo Stanzione, Circle of Visitation, Virgin Mary, Oil on Canvas

Description

Massimo Stanzione (Frattamaggiore or Orta di Atella 1585 - Naples 1656) circle of Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to … more Massimo Stanzione (Frattamaggiore or Orta di Atella 1585 - Naples 1656) circle of Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin Saint Elizabeth Oil on canvas 147 x 100 cm Written expertise by William Suida as Massimo Stanzione. Such was the admiration for the art of Massimo Stanzione that he was nicknamed the Neapolitan Guido Reni. Indeed, his works combine the classicism of the Emilian painting of Reni and Domenichino with the tenebrism left as a legacy by Caravaggio. Starting out as a portraitist, he later took on the connotation of a Baroque painter dedicated to sacred times, his most important works are in fact recognized in the large altarpieces as well as in the fresco cycles for Neapolitan churches. Artistic rival of Jusepe de Ribera, he dominated the Neapolitan scene of the first half of the seventeenth century like Spagnoletto. Stanzione strongly influenced the Neapolitan pictorial environment that followed him, having been an important leader of the school. He had a vast and immediate following, converting painters such as Filippo Vitale and Francesco Guarino to his themes, who until then had expressed themselves in the wake of the naturalist tradition. Among his many students or followers we can mention: Andrea Vaccaro, Bernardo Cavallino, Muzio Rossi (Nunzio), Pacecco De Rosa, Onofrio Palumbo, Domenico Gargiulo, Giovanni Ricca, Giuseppe Marullo, Nicola Marigliano, Antonio De Bellis, Agostino and Giuseppe Beltrano, Carlo Rosa, Domenico Finoglia, Andrea and Niccolò Malinconico, Nicolò De Simone. All artistic personalities, often of the highest level, who unequivocally stigmatized the important contribution of Massimo Stanzione to the Neapolitan artistic panorama of the 17th century. This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



issues arising from misattribution less