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Preview image of work. oil on canvas,  Study for the Glory of Saint Gaudentius of Novara 11382
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1994.26

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Study for the Glory of Saint Gaudentius of Novara

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Artists

Artist Unidentified ; Stefano Maria Legnani (Legnanino) (1660 - 1715, Bologna, Italy)

Title

Study for the Glory of Saint Gaudentius of Novara

Creation Date

1691

Century

17th century

Dimensions

21 in. x 27 1/8 in. (53.34 cm. x 68.9 cm.)

Object Type

painting

Creation Place

Europe, Italy

Medium and Support

oil on canvas

Credit Line

Gift of Florence and Joseph Recht, and Rudolph Binion, in memory of Roberta Ellen Recht

Copyright

Public Domain

Accession Number

1994.26

The Basilica of Saint Gaudenzio in Novara, Piedmont, holds in its Scurolo (literally a “dark chamber”) the crystal sarcophagus of the revered first bishop and patron saint of the city, Saint Gaudentius. In 1691, the Milanese painter Stefano Maria Legnani, called Il Legnanino, was contracted to decorate the chapel with frescos that glorify the memory of the saint. This study has been recently identified as a preparatory work for this prestigious and highly visible commission. Il Legnanino had received his training in Bologna before he joined the workshop of Carlo Maratta in 1686 and was later active in the northern Italian cities Genova, Torino, and Milan. Many of his frescos and altarpieces on canvas can still be seen in their original locations, including his Glory of Saint Gaudentius of Novara.