Description
The painting "St Anthony of Padua Healing a Youth" by Italian artist Sebastiano Ricci is a late-Baroque masterpiece. This artwork is in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC
The painting shows Saint Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of the poor and sick, healing a sick young man. The composition of the painting is impressive, with the figure of the saint at the center of the composition, surrounded by a group of people who are watching him in amazement. Ricci uses a rich and vibrant color palette, which makes the painting even more impressive.
Ricci's artistic style is characterized by his use of light and shadow, as well as his loose, flowing painting technique. Ricci was one of the main exponents of Rococo, a style characterized by its elegance and refinement.
The history of the painting is interesting. It was commissioned by Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni, who was a great admirer of Ricci. The painting was originally in the cardinal's collection in Rome, but was sold to a private collector in the 19th century before being acquired by the National Gallery of Art in 1941.
A little known aspect of the painting is that Ricci used his wife as a model for the figure of the woman behind Saint Anthony. Also, the young man being healed in the painting is actually Ricci's nephew.
In short, Sebastiano Ricci's painting "St Anthony of Padua Healing a Youth" is a late-Baroque masterpiece noted for its impressive composition, loose and flowing painting technique, rich and vibrant color palette, and story interesting and little known.