PROVENANCE: Julius Weitzner, New York, 1965; BJU, 1965.

Il Sassoferrato received his nickname from the small town of his birth but spent the majority of his career in Rome. He probably received early instruction from Domenichino, whose clarity, refinement, and idealized beauty influenced his derivative yet individualistic style.

The artist produced scores of paintings focusing on Mary, the Christ Child, or both. He drew from a handful of stock compositions for each subject and produced many copies with little variance. Mary listens to Gabriel’s announcement that she is to be the mother of the Messiah. The swirling, agitated drapery is a high baroque device used to heighten the dramatic visual impact. The coloration is simple yet brilliantly vibrant, as seen in the electric ultramarine blue of the Virgin’s robe.