Lot 17: Madonna of the grapes

Andrea Celesti Venice 1637-1712
Madonna of the grapes
oil on canvas
31 1/8 x 24 in. 79.1 x 61 cm.

THE PROPERTY OF A PRIVATE COLLECTOR


Although intimate depictions of the Madonna and Child by Andrea Celesti are not common, precedents such as The Holy Family (Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo, Brescia) support this attribution. Distinctive traits such as the flickering brushstrokes and luminous palette are characteristic of this Venetian-trained artist, and are most typical of his work after the mid-1680s. The grapes included in this scene are a symbol of the blood of Christ, and allude to the wine of the Eucharist.