CARVED FRAME WITH PAINTING ON VELLUM, “OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY WITH SAINT DOMINIC AND SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA, 17TH CENTURY.

Carved and gilded frame with paint on vellum, “Virgen del Rosario with Santo Domingo de Guzmán and Santa Catalina de Siena”, 17th century. Inscription in the rear area (D. José Salazar). Quadrangular frame with square projections in the corners and semicircular projections in the centers of the sides. The fleshy and outstanding vegetal carving that it presents is gilded, and in some areas you can see the red bowl with which the thin metal sheets were adhered to the wood. The painting on vellum presents magnificent openwork work, flowers on the border and several characters. The scene represented is the Virgin giving the rosary to Saint Dominic de Guzmán and Saint Catherine of Siena. Mary appeared to the founder of the Dominicans, giving him the “Crown of Roses of Our Lady”, also called the rosary, and teaching him how to pray it, with the command that he preach it among men. This particular dedication is known as Virgen del Rosario. Saint Catherine of Siena took the habits of the third order of Saint Dominic at the age of 16, despite family opposition. That is why she is represented dressed like this. It was the members of her order who dedicated themselves to expanding her cult throughout Europe, attributing common miracles to other saints (stigmatization) and representing her in numerous scenes. One is that of the present work: despite not having participated in the delivery of the rosary, she is included in the theme along with Saint Dominic, flanking Mary, who usually appears with the Child. The Virgin appears in heaven, with the saint on her right and the saint on her left, giving them a garland of flowers that symbolizes this rosary; The buildings in the background refer to the religious foundations that were carried out thanks to Saint Dominic (the first formal community of “preaching brothers” was organized around 1215; the same saint founded a female monastery in Prohuille). The delicate vellum work with openwork and the marked presence of flowers put the work in relation to a female convent of the order. It would be ordered by themselves or brought as part of a sister's dowry. The high quality and importance of the frame indicate the great value given to the painting, which would be hung on a wall as evidenced by the presence of a metal hook on the back. Frames similar to the present one, with the same quality and importance of the size, are not easy to find. Similar examples are preserved in the J. Paul Getty Museum in Miami, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the National Museum of Decorative Arts in Madrid, the Louvre in Paris, etc. Paintings on vellum were very common in the Baroque because it was a much cheaper support than panel. However, as they were executed by minor artists, their value has only recently been recognized, so not many examples survive.

· Size: 33x37.5 LUZ 13.5X18 cms.