Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione (Italian 1609 - 1664) Attributed

Artist: Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione (Italian 1609 - 1664) Attributed.
Title: A Sacrifice to Priapus.
Medium: Oil on canvas.
Framed Size: Height 48 cm x Width 64 cm x Depth 9.5 cm.
Image Size: Height 26 cm x Width 43 cm.
Condition: Fair to good condition. The work presents well although paint is thin in areas. The work has been relined. Appears to be the original stretcher and frame.
Provenance: Private family collection, England. Remnants of older typed Inventory/description label verso on stretcher. Please Note: Research has found a potential trail of provenance dating to the 17th Century, further research is currently being undertaken. Full details of known provenance are supplied on request or upon purchase.

About: Between 1645–48 Castiglione created a series of prints one of which is entitled “A Satyr reclining at the foot of a statue of Priapus, with goats at the right”. Etched in Castiglione’s native Genoa, the concentration on a mythological subject in a large lush landscape shows the influence of the French painter Nicolas Poussin, whom the artist possibly met while working in Rome in the 1630s.

This painting is of the same scene and it appears to be almost identical bar a few minor details. Up until recent years, Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione has not been at the forefront of art historical research and there are still questions to be asked in relation to his practice and process. It appears unclear as to whether he created etchings from his paintings or vice versa. It is however noted that he pioneered the development of the oil sketch (often using a mixture of mediums). He often returned to the same subjects over again merely altering aspects of the compositions each time. This work is possibly an oil sketch that was later transcribed into an etching.

Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione was a Baroque Genius of the Genoese school. He was known as a painter, printmaker and draughtsman. Castiglione is also credited with being the inventor of monotype printing. He was also often known by the name Il Grechetto in Italy and Le Benédette in France. Castiglione was also known for his historical subject matter as well as his referencing to mythological themes. He often combined his love of depicting animals and rural scenes in order to portray a biblical reference, namely the parable of Noah’s Ark. Castiglione was a superb draughtsman, well trained, possibly by the likes of Anthony van Dyck and Peter Paul Rubens. However, this is unconfirmed as the early records of Castiglione are somewhat unclear.