Description
Circle of Domenico Ubaldini known as il Puligo (Florence 1492 – 1527) – Christ Carrying the Cross with Simon of Cyrene.
Oil on panel, in antique wood frame.
The painting depicts Christ carrying the cross, accompanied on the right by Simon of Cyrene supporting its weight.
The two figures emerge from a dark background, following a compositional type widespread in Florentine painting of the early 16th century. Christ’s face, slightly inclined, conveys a quiet melancholy; the garment, in tones of crimson shading into rose pink, is rendered with a softness of brushwork that reveals a refined and sensitive hand. The label on the reverse reads: «Domenico Ubaldini detto “il Puligo” – 1492 – Firenze – 1527. Allievo di Domenico del Ghirlandaio, fu collaboratore del figlio di questi, Ridolfo, e principalmente di Andrea del Sarto. Si distingue da tutti i suoi contemporanei per la bellezza del colorito e la dolcezza delle sfumature e dei contorni che addolcivano il disegno dei contorni stessi. Data la sua breve vita, le sue opere sono rare e si trovano quasi esclusivamente nei Musei. “Gesù e il Cireneo” – Olio su tavola.» These stylistic qualities, together with the indication of the label, support the attribution to the closest circle of this Florentine master.
Condition report: The painting is presented in an antique frame dating to the 16th-17th century. Original panel. Traces of old restorations, ancient woodworm damage and wood movement.
