Monks Praying in a Grotto, c. 1705–06
Oil on canvasexpand_more
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Bennettexpand_more 83.6.3
Not on Viewexpand_more
The paintings of Alessandro Magnasco present mysterious worlds—dark, moody landscapes in flickering light, populated by wild, expressive figures. Monks were a favored subject. Here they are scattered about a woodland grotto praying, in seeming anguish. Magnasco’s interest in fantasy combined with his raw, rapid handling of paint, was very forward-looking in the early 1700s.
Magnasco often collaborated with the landscape painter Antonio Francesco Peruzzini, to whom the background of this painting has recently been attributed.
Details
- Title
- Monks Praying in a Grotto
- Artist Life
- Italian (Genoa), 1667 - 1749
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 83.6.3
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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