Paolo Gerolamo Piola (attributed to) - Madonna and Child - oil on canvas 54 x 40 cm The small canvas depicts the Virgin sitting in contemplation of the Child, who lies in her arms on a bed of hay, rendered with luministic care. Mary's lowered and absorbed gaze, her polished and composed face, together with the soft rendering of the child's flesh and controlled drapery, recall the manner of Paolo Girolamo Piola, son of Domenico and one of the leading figures in 17th-18th century Genoese painting. Compared to his father's models, which are more lively and theatrical, the work is distinguished by a greater intimacy and measure, a distinctive feature of Paolo Girolamo's devotional production for private commissions. The muted colour palette, dominated by warm browns, blues and golden yellows, and the gentle expression of the Virgin are to be found in other known works by the artist, such as the Madonnas with Child conserved in Genoese and Lombard collections.Within 19th-century wooden frame.