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 painting on vellum, “Virgin of the Rosary with Saint Dominic of Guzmán and Saint Catherine of Siena”, 17th century. Inscription on the back (D. José Salazar). A quadrangular frame with square projections at the corners and semicircular projections at the centres of the sides. The fleshy and prominent plant carving is gilded, and in some areas the red bowl with which the thin sheets of metal were attached to the wood can be seen. The painting on vellum has magnificent openwork, flowers on the border and various figures. The scene depicted is the Virgin giving the rosary to Saint Dominic de Guzman 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 to pray it, with the command that he should preach it among men. This particular devotion is known as the Virgin of the Rosary. Saint Catherine of Siena took the habit of the Third Order of Saint Dominic at the age of 16, despite family opposition. That is why she is represented dressed in this way. It was the members of her order who dedicated themselves to spreading her cult throughout Europe, attributing to her miracles common 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 together with Saint Dominic, flanking Mary, who is usually shown with the Child. The Virgin appears in the sky, 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 saint himself founded a female monastery in Prohuille). The delicate work on vellum with openwork and the marked presence of flowers link the work to some female convent of the order. It would have been commissioned by the order itself or brought as part of the dowry of some sister. The high quality and importance of the frame indicate the great value given to the painting, which would have been hung on some wall as evidenced by the presence of a metal hook on the back. Similar frames to the present one, with the same quality and importance of the carving, are not easy to find. Similar examples are preserved in the J. Paul Getty Museum in Miami, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas in Madrid, the Louvre in Paris, etc. Paintings on vellum were very common in the Baroque because it was a much cheaper support than wood. However, since they were executed by lesser artists, their value has only recently been recognized, so not many examples have survived.

· Size: 33x37.5 LUZ 13.5X18 cms.