Pittore Bolognese del XVIII secolo - Aureliano Milani (1675-1749) [cerchia di] - Venere piange la morte di Adone

\Artist: Pittore Bolognese del XVIII secolo - Aureliano Milani (1675-1749) [cerchia di]
Technique: olio su tela cm. 98 x 130\Signature: Not signed\Dimensions: 110_12_140_cm
Bolognese painter of the 18th century. Aureliano Milani (Bologna, 1675 – Rome, 1749) [Circle of] Venere piange la morte di Adone Oil on canvas 98 x 130 cm. Notes: certificate of warranty and lawful origin. Without frame. The painting is of good quality and the stylistic features highlight the Bolognese origin of the author, who trainedin Emilia in the 18th century, evoking the style of the works of Aureliano Milani (Bologna 1675 – Rome, 1749) . In the work in question there is indeed no lack of suggestions of affinity with Milani's production. The results, however, lead to a probable attribution to a painter close to or in the cir of Aureliano, when the master's neo-carraccism was updated in a Baroque light. Adonis' death is the theme of this painting, made according to the pictorial style of the Bolognese school. From our canvas emerges a strong mix between his Bolognese training and the Baroque of the Roman area, Guercino in particular, as well as the inspiration with intense Caravaggesque chiaroscuro. Born into a poor Bolognese family, Aureliano Milani worked between Rome and his hometown, Bologna. After an initial apprenticeship with his uncle he studied with Lorenzo Pasinelli before entering Cesare Gennari's studio. When he was in Rome in the 1720s he returned to Carracci’s art and was recognized as one of the greatest painters of the Bolognese school. He received important commissions, the most prestigious of which was the decoration of the frescoed vault of the Gallery of Mirrors of Palazzo Doria Pamphilij in 1733. The vertical and visually narrow cut of this canvas allows the painter to bring the protagonists of the episode to the foreground. The foreground is dedicated to the death of the young hunter. Here we find Adonis dead, lying helpless with his head thrown back. The goddess appears desperate, kneeling before Adonis as she mourns his death. Next to the goddess and young Adonis, there are other women, some with their arms spread out in an attitude of astonished pain. Of great importance is the village background, made vivid by the twilight, as if to emphasize the sentimental element of the event. According to the mythological reference (Metamorphoses - Ovid, book X) : " . . . Adonis was a young hunter of incredible beauty, whom Venus had fallen in love with, unintentionally pierced by one of Cupid's arrows. The goddess tried in vain to keep him from hunting, urging him to watch out for ferocious beasts. But Adonis did not heed his beloved's admonitions: when his dogs followed the footprints of a wild boar, the young man wounded him with a spear but the animal managed to survive and in defence bit Adonis to death. Venus heard her lover's screams of pain; finding him dying she promised that her love for him would last forever, and so where Adonis' blood fell anemones popped up. . . " The canvas is in fair condition. The surface has a patina. Some scattered restorations, peeling and oxidation of the surface emerged under Wood’s lamp. In natural light, you can see a fine craquelure consistent with the painting’s age. There are conservation problems, such as a tear in the canvas on top right, above the shoulder of one of the handmaid, and small colour losses scattered in some areas of the canvas, and some re-painting work, which may seem to require intervention, for further attributive study. The stretcher may have been replaced when the painting was relined. The painting – of good pictorial quality – is very interesting both for its iconographic setting and for the drafting of colours, synonymous with an artist of great interpretative quality. Canvas size: 98 x 130 cm. The painting is sold in without frame, although the work is framed in a beautiful, recent frame. Origin: private collection. Publication: \t. Unpublished; \t. I MITI E IL TERRITORIO nella Sicilia dalle mille culture. INEDITA QUADRERIA, general catalogue of the paintings in the collection of the cycle ‘I miti e il territorio’, published by Lab_04, Marsala, (now printing, 2021) . Supplied with certificate of warranty and certificate of lawful origin. Documents will be sent separately (after receiving the payment from Catawiki via email) . We guarantee accurate packaging with external wood case and internal bubble wrap / cardboard / polystyrene (packaging cost approximately €150. 00) and tracked shipping (€100. 00 Italy) . For export, the work is subject to a new request for Certificate of Free Circulation (European Community) or Export Certificate (Extra-EU Transport) , at the export office (Soprintendenza del Territorio) with additional times and costs (€400/€800, all inclusive: shipping, packaging and export documents) .