Madrid School, Circle of FRANCISCO RIZI (Madrid,... Lot n° 31

Madrid School, Circle of FRANCISCO RIZI (Madrid, 1614-San Lorenzo de El Escorial, 1685); second half of the seventeenth century. "Adoration of the shepherds". Oil on canvas. Relined. Presents repainting. It has a frame of the eighteenth century. Measurements: 62 x 55 cm; 72 x 63,5 cm (frame). The painting represents the moment in which the shepherds are adoring the Child Jesus. Arranged in an interior of dark tonalities, the author has placed all the characters of the scene making use of a classic composition as a frieze. Slightly displaced to the left, and in the lower area, the figure of the child can be seen on a bed of straw. He is being uncovered by St. Joseph, who holds the white cloth to facilitate the adoration of the shepherds. In the center Mary puts her hand on her breast and tilts her head down with her eyelids closed, adopting an attitude of sorrow as if she knew the fate of her little baby. To the right of the virgin, a shepherd leans on the mule to better observe the scene, behind him another shepherd turns his face towards an exterior point as if appealing to someone who is not in the scene, inviting him to participate in the scene. Finally, in the last shot, a sketched figure contemplates the scene. Due to its technical characteristics, the work is aesthetically identified with the school of Francesco Rizi, son of the painter Antonio Rizi. Despite his Italian origin, Francisco was born in Madrid, as his family had moved to Spain to work in El Escorial. Francisco began his training with his father, along with his brother Juan, but later continued studying with Vicente Carducho, from whom he received a great artistic influence. In 1634, he obtained contact with the Royal Audience, which was supposed to establish him as a painter. When Carducho died in 1638, he joined other painters to finish the decoration of the Golden Hall of the Alcazar of Madrid. He is known for being one of the first Spanish painters to be influenced by the Baroque style, with direct influences from the paintings of artists such as Rubens and Van Dyck. Thanks to his work, he attracted the attention of the court, so he began to work for them, carrying out numerous commissions. In addition, thanks to his collaboration with the cathedral of Toledo, he managed to become the official painter of the cathedral, a position he retained until the day of his death. In 656 he was appointed Painter to the King, thus becoming one of the most sought after artists of the time, which allowed him to open a workshop, where renowned artists such as Claudio Coello were trained. Due to his well-to-do situation in the court, he was granted permission to live in the Real Alcázar. However, in 1671, when Juan Carreño was appointed painter to Queen Mariana, his position in the court declined, although he continued to be appreciated by religious institutions.