(Bologna 1532–1577)
The mystical marriage of St Catherine of Alexandria with St John the Baptist as a child and St Joseph,
oil on canvas, 115 x 98 cm, framed

Provenance:
English private collection

After a recent re-examination of the original, Nicholas Turner has once more confirmed the traditional attribution to Orazio Samacchini. Emilio Negro and Nicosetta Roio also share this opinion independently of one another.

Apart from general stylistic references, this painting contains many motifs that also occur in other works by this master. The elaborately interwoven hair dress and crown of Saint Catherine, for example, appear in numerous works by the artist (see, for instance, the painting auctioned at Porro, Milan, on 13 November 2008 as lot 224) while Saint John the Baptist is also a very typical character. The pose, expression and physiognomy of the finely executed Madonna also correspond to a type often employed by Samacchini. Despite being a pupil of Pellegrino Tibaldi’s, Samacchini’s early work mainly reflects the classicism of Raphael as interpreted by Bagnacavallo and the Mannerism of Innocenzo da Imola and also Prospero Fontana. Simplicity of form, limpid colours and purity of line characterize such early works as the Marriage of the Virgin (c. 1555–1560; Bologna, San Giuseppe). The present painting has been dated to the period after the artist’s return from Rome, which unites the style and typological elements of Fontana with a highly refined use of colour reminiscent of early 16th century Southern Netherlandish painting. Also apparent is the stylistic influence of his close friend Lorenzo Sabattini. In 1563 Samacchini had participated in the decoration of the Belvedere and the Sala Regia in the Vatican. This experience in Rome resulted in works which are characterized by complicated compositional solutions and spaces teeming with lively, clearly articulated figures. Certain features of the School of Parma can be traced as early as 1569, for example in the Transfiguration of Christ (Bologna, Corpus Domini), which also displays the influence of Parmigianino.