Pinacoteca Room XIV

Baciccia’s Vision of St Francis Xavier is a study for a larger altarpiece. The saint holds a crucifix close to his chest, surrounded by angels. Look at the quick handling of the paint. Some figures remain lightly indicated, with details suggested by swift strokes of colour. Baciccia, also known as Giovanni Battista Gaulli, made this small canvas around 1675 for a commission at Sant’Andrea al Quirinale in Rome. A study allowed a painter to develop a composition before the final work. Sassoferrato’s Madonna and Child offers a different surface. Mary sits on clouds with her feet on a crescent moon and embraces Jesus, who holds a rosary ending in a rose. The clear forms and bright colour give the figures a carefully finished appearance. You can compare the quick decisions visible in one painting with the settled contours of the other, while keeping their different purposes in mind.