St. Roch, Francesco Di Girolamo Da Santacroce (venice, 1516–1584)

Francesco di Girolamo da Santacroce (Venice, 1516–1584)  

Saint Roch  

Oil on canvas  126 x 68 cm. Framed: 137 x 80 cm.  

The painting depicts Saint Roch (a companion piece featuring Saint Agatha is also available), one of the most venerated martyrs in the Christian tradition, in a work attributed to Francesco da Santacroce (1516–1584), a leading figure in a dynasty of painters who took their name from their home town, near Bergamo, and who migrated to Venice from the end of the fifteenth century onwards.  

The workshop, founded by his father Girolamo, operated successfully in the Venetian lagoon area, where it produced mainly devotional works, altarpieces and polyptychs, distinguishing itself through its extraordinary ability to assimilate and replicate the style of the great Renaissance masters.  

In particular, their paintings blend the warm colour palette, golden light and gentle facial features typical of Giovanni Bellini, of whom both his father and Francesco were pupils and collaborators. 

This is combined with the rigorous yet gentle compositional geometries drawn from Cima da Conegliano, alongside the expansive volumes and atmospheric softness of Palma il Vecchio or Lorenzo Lotto.  

A distinctive feature of their works—which we can see in the portrait presented here and which made them highly sought-after even in their own time—is therefore their inspiration drawn from the models of great Venetian painting, though always rendered in a simplified and accessible style: the figure of Saint Roch in this painting is, in fact, rather static, composed and monumental, whilst retaining that 15th-century devotional grace so much appreciated by the more traditional clientele. 

The drapery of the garments—notably the large, deep-red cloak enveloping his body—is heavy, crisp and clearly defined, designed to lend the figure a strong physical presence.  The work is structured according to precise iconographic and stylistic choices, depicting the saint in full figure, in a frontal and solemn pose, drawn entirely from Venetian Renaissance models. 

The young man displays a gentle and solemn expression, with his gaze turned slightly to one side, and his head crowned by a delicate, slender golden halo.  The saint is depicted according to his typical iconography as a pilgrim, with the symbol of the shell pinned to the chest of his cloak, his staff and his wide-brimmed traveller’s hat. 

He is also recognised as a protector against the plague; for this reason, with his right hand he gently lifts his tunic to reveal the plague sore on his thigh, a central element of his veneration.  

Another characteristic feature of their style, inherited from Bellini’s school, is the positioning of the sacred figures in front of a sort of parapet that divides the scene; beyond it lies a golden sky with warm, twilight hues, enriched by soft white and grey cloud formations that lend the painting an atmospheric quality.  

The Santacroce family ran their workshop as a fully-fledged business, geared towards satisfying an upper-middle-class clientele seeking Venetian quality at competitive prices; for this reason, their output – which included, in particular, Holy Conversations featuring saints – was extensive and intended primarily for churches in the Venetian province or the Bergamo area. 

It is therefore presumed that this work was originally the single panel of a more complex altarpiece comprising several panels, which over time was divided up and dispersed amongst various museums or collections.  

Francesco da Santacroce, always working under the auspices of the workshop and often in collaboration with his father Girolamo (with whom he is frequently confused), devoted much of his work to this type of piece: complex altarpieces populated by numerous patron saints. 

By way of example, we might mention the ‘Madonna and Child Enthroned between St Francis of Assisi, St Catherine of Alexandria, St Clare and St Roch’ (fig. 1) at the Accademia Carrara in Bergamo, or the ‘Madonna and Child between St Jerome, St Mary Magdalene and St Catherine of Alexandria’ (Fig. 2) and the ‘Holy Family with St Jerome’ (Fig. 3), both from the Staatliche Kunsthalle in Karlsruhe, Germany.  (Fig. 1) https://catalogo.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/scheda/opera/41863/ (fig. 2) https://catalogo.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/scheda/opera/41851/ (fig. 3) https://catalogo.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/scheda/opera/41858/   

FURTHER INFORMATION:  

The painting is sold complete with an attractive frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet. 

We arrange and organise the transport of purchased works, both within Italy and abroad, using professional and insured carriers.  

Should you wish to view this or other works in person, we would be delighted to welcome you to our new gallery in Riva del Garda, at Viale Giuseppe Canella 18. We look forward to seeing you!  

Please contact us for any further information or to arrange a visit; we’ll be happy to assist you.  

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