Esther and Ahasuerus (Allegory of Justice)
Copper
28,5x38 inch
Origin
Genoa, Carlotta Cattaneo AdornoFasciotti Giustiniani collection, until 2018. Our painting is an important addition to the corpus of Vincent Malo, a painter from Cambrai born between 1602 and 1606 and died in Rome in 1644. With an unusual career, pupil of Rubens and Van Dyck, Malo was registered with the guild of Antwerp in 1623, 1629 and 1633. During the years of "absence" from Antwerp, it is likely that the painter stayed twice in Genoa (in 1624 and 1637), in Florence (1637) before settling in Rome. In Genoa, Malo returned to the graces of the Ligurian aristocracy, who commissioned works of private devotion from him (his name is mentioned in more than one inventory of private collections). This work, on copper, was part of the rich collection of Carlotta Cattaneo Adorno Fasciotti Giustiniani who also owned a large canvas by Malo, representing the Coriolanus family. In these two cases (The family of Coriolanus begging him to spare Rome / Esther and Ahasuerus), the ancient story serves as a pretext to insert portraits of real characters to whom we associate the virtues of the heroes represented: an allegorical scene which wants celebrate the sponsor by representing him as a "just man".
Anna Orlando suggests reading the figure of King Assuerus as a posthumous portrait of Francesco De' Medici (1594-1614), fourth child of the Grand Duke of Tuscany Ferdinando and Christine de
Lorraine, possibly commissioned by his brother Lorenzo de' Medici (1599-1648) who was a great collector. The format (unusual in the painter's production and typical of a work intended
private) and the support (in copper, a precious and sought-after material) of our painting go well with this hypothesis.
A certificate from Professor Anna Orlando dated October 2019 will be given to the purchaser.
Full Description