Madonna and Child with Archangel Michael - Tuscan school, end of 16th c.

Madonna and Child with Archangel Michael
Tuscan school
End of 16th century
Oil painting on canvas
Measures cm.92 x H. cm.90
Canvas octagonal without frame. Very good condition

The painting, of excellent workmanship, depicts a rather rare composition in ancient painting. The Madonna is seated with the Child in her arms placed at the center of the scene. On the opposite side, facing her, a young and beautiful St. Michael dressed in his splendid Warrior outfit with a plumed helmet on his head, holds his sword and brings his right hand to his heart. The Madonna turns her sweet face towards the viewer, while the eyes of the Child look further away and the adoring gaze of the Archangel is turned towards the two protagonists. An intense light radiates the Virgin with the little Jesus and illuminates the figure of Michael in a more suffused way, which is slightly further back, almost in the background. The bright colors, spread with great balance, enliven the clothes of the three characters and contribute, together with the great serenity expressed by the scene, to making the canvas extremely pleasant. The Tuscan origin of the work is evident, which takes its cue from the famous "Madonna della Seggiola" by Raphael with the Archangel Michael taking the place of San Giovannino. The author, working at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries in one of the renowned Florentine workshops, carries out the work for a client who asks to include the Warrior Angel, leader of the Celestial Militias and probably his namesake, in the already then famous devotional composition. It is a work of great effect as well as of considerable interest precisely because of the rarity of the representation of this Triad which proves to be particularly successful. We preferred to leave the canvas unframed in view of the excellent result when placed on the wall.