Mary the Shepherd, Signed Raphael Fogliardi and dated 1795, Italian Oil Painting on Canvas

We are pleased to present this oil on canvas from the 18th-century Italian school. A splendid religious painting depicting a devotional subject of Mary the Divine Shepherdess, a Marian iconography originating in Spain in the early 18th century. The reverse of the canvas bears the inscription "Raphael Fogliardi Fecit P.Q.S. 1795." The handwriting may identify the artist as Raffaele Fogliardi, born in 1776 in Apiro, a neoclassical painter from the Marche region. In the 18th century, the initials P.Q.S. meant "Propria Quadam Signavit/Propria Quaman Scripsit", and served to certify that the painting and the signature on the reverse were drawn directly by the artist and not by a workshop assistant.

A small painting containing numerous religious symbolic details. The Virgin Mary is seated at the center of the scene under the shade of a leafy tree. She wears a veil and a blue cloak over a light-colored dress. Her face, surrounded by a halo of bright stars, is gently turned downward. Baby Jesus sits on his Mother's lap. He holds a red cord with which he holds the sheep, toward whom he turns his sweet face, while he extends his hand toward Mary's face. Four sheep surround the sacred figures in the foreground. One of them rests its muzzle on the Virgin's lap, as if seeking protection.

Mary holds a long staff, which signifies her spiritual role as guide and protector of souls (the flock). In her left hand, the Virgin raises a flowering branch. This gesture directly references the institution of the Holy Rosary. The flock is safe beneath the foliage of the tree (symbol of the Church and the Cross). The sheep trustingly resting its muzzle on Mary's lap represents the converted soul that has abandoned all fear of evil to abandon itself completely to maternal grace. The scene takes place in an idyllic, rural setting, a reflection of the earthly Paradise rediscovered through the Redemption. In the background, mountains and a sky tinged with warm tones suggest the dawn and the birth of a new era.

A marvelous painting for its pictorial quality and profound religious message. If you love ancient Italian religious art, you absolutely must add this splendid painting to your collection.

The work is presented in a distinctive antique gilded wooden frame. The frame features an internal molding lacquered in a light blue tone, echoing the colors of the Virgin's cloak, and decorated on the outside with a twisted cord motif typical of Baroque or late-18th-century artistic craftsmanship.

The painting is on its original canvas. It may have undergone subsequent restoration work to adapt it to the current frame, which, despite being an 18th-century antique, was likely not the original one. The frame has undergone subsequent restoration work, including repainting in blue.

Frame dimensions (cm):
Height: 44.5
Width: 37.5
Depth: 4
Painting dimensions (cm):
Height: 32
Width: 25

Ref: DRD9PNWY07