Madonna Saint Anthony by Pittoni 1723

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Madonna with Saint Anthony – Giambattista Pittoni, 1723

This painting by Giambattista Pittoni depicts the Madonna with the Christ Child, accompanied by Saint Anthony of Padua. The composition presents the figures in a graceful, Rococo style, characteristic of Pittoni’s mature period. The Madonna is shown tenderly holding the infant Jesus, while Saint Anthony, depicted with his traditional attribute of a lily, gazes reverently at the child. Soft, golden light illuminates the figures, emphasizing the delicate folds of their robes and the serene expressions on their faces, creating an atmosphere of calm devotion and gentle intimacy.

Pittoni, born in Venice in 1687, trained under his uncle Francesco Pittoni, and his early works show the influence of the Venetian Baroque. By the 1720s, around the time this painting was executed, he had shifted toward a lighter, more delicate Rococo style, possibly influenced by French painting or through contacts with contemporaries such as Antonio Pellegrini and Sebastiano Ricci. This work exemplifies that transition, combining elegant composition, soft color harmonies, and refined attention to gesture and expression.

Despite receiving numerous foreign commissions, Pittoni remained mostly in Venice, active within the local artistic community. He joined the Fraglia dei Pittori Veneziani, was elected to the Accademia Clementina of Bologna in 1727, and later became one of the founders of the Veneta Pubblica Accademia di Pittura, Scultura e Architettura. Pittoni died in Venice in 1767, leaving a body of work notable for its clarity, elegance, and warmth—qualities clearly reflected in this painting of the Madonna with Saint Anthony.