GREGORIO DE FERRARI (attr. to) (Porto Maurizio, 1647 - Genoa, 1726) Madonna and Child Oil on panel, 35X26 cm Provenance: From a noble Genoese collection From a noble Roman collection Gregorio de Ferrari was the most imaginative and original Italian master of his time, undoubtedly one of the most significant creators of the 'grand decoration' in Genoa between the 17th and 18th centuries. Like his predecessors, his art measured itself against the local tradition but also against the examples of Correggio and the inventive incidence of Bernini's sculpture. In fact, as an extraordinary draughtsman, the painter is also famous for his studies, which were fundamental to him in devising frescoes, altarpieces and paintings, in which he elaborated his refined artistic vision. As a true director, Gregorio devoted himself to drawing and sketching each piece or part of a work, paying attention to each individual figure according to a practice he acquired during his apprenticeship with Domenico Piola and his stay in Parma between 1668 and 1669. In the Emilian city, the painter devoted himself to copying the works of Correggio (Ratti, pp. 110 f.) and of this production, the Madonna della cesta (Palazzo Bianco storerooms, no. 1685), and a partial copy of the Dome of Parma Cathedral kept at the Accademia Ligustica, in which a peculiar interpretation of the Emilian master can be seen in the chromatic choices and thinning of forms, revealing his future stylistic achievements (cf. Newcome 1998, p. 23, no. 4- p. 29, no. 12bis). Other works of this tenor are recorded in the collection of the painter Anton Raphael Mengs (cf. Ratti 1768-1769- Newcome 1988, p. 187), therefore, the panel presented here is of particular importance as it testifies to the author's talent and a precise moment in his training that was to lead to developments. Reference bibliography: C. G. Ratti, Delle vite de' pittori, Genoa 1768-1769, pp. 110-118 E. Gavazza, Problemi relativi alla scultura di 'decorazione' del primo Settecento a Genova, in Studi di storia delle arti, Genoa 1977, pp. 122-129 M. Newcome, Gregorio De Ferrari, Turin 1998, ad vocem Gregorio De Ferrari exhibition catalogue edited by M. Newcome, Sarzana 2001, ad vocem