Mother and Child

     

Mother and Child (after Carlo Maratta), 2023
Oil and gold leaf on linen
61 x 46 cm | 24 x 18.1 in

Carlo Maratta was a leading Italian painter who operated a large studio in Rome during the Baroque era. This painting is a copy inspired by his Madonna and Child (1660) now on display in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.

Since the Renaissance, naturalism in painting had been developed to the extent that visual elements which could break the illusion of reality were deemed undesirable. For this purpose, the halos were no longer rendered in plain gold leaf, the background had to convey a sense of space, and the light was used to sculpt the body in three dimensions. These elements are evident in the original by Carlo Maratta.

My intention was to take the opposite approach. I situate the naturalistic figures against a gold background, whereas the original by Carlo Maratta features a view of Rome behind them. The halo is painted with red bole, as is the case for Orthodox icons. Furthermore, I have modified the colours and the drawing to follow my personal taste, or what felt necessary. Specifically, the veil is now white to contrast with the warm background.