Marco d'Oggiono
Saint Veronica
Oil painting on canvas
66 x 52,5 cm
Private collection
The figure of Veronica (from the Latin "true icon"), the hemorrhagic woman mentioned in the Acts of Pilate of the apocryphal Gospels, is closely connected to the acheropite image of the Holy Face of Christ, miraculously imprinted on the veil that the woman handed to the Redeemer during his ascent to Calvary. According to some traditions, the relic, brought by Veronica herself to Rome, is conserved in St. Peter's. The cult of the saint, whose story is remembered in the VI station of the Way of the Cross, prende vigore nel XV secolo, diffondendosi particolarmente in area fiamminga, dov’è venerata come protettrice dei mercanti di stoffe e lino, e in Francia, dove si crede che abbia diffuso il cristianesimo insieme al marito Zaccheo.
The Saint Veronica with the veil exhibited here is a painting linked to private devotion, probably by a pro-French client from the Milan area. In the work, the saint, depicted half-length, directs her gaze, sweet and compassionate, towards the sacred cloth, held delicately between thumb and forefinger. The figure stands out against a dark background, from which it emerges modulated by strong chiaroscuro contrasts.
Il dipinto, proveniente dal mercato antiquario, viene ascritto da Simone Ferrari alla maturità di Marco d’Oggiono, attribuzione condivisa da Alberto Cottino (Ferrari 2019). Lo studioso riferisce anche la presenza di una scritta in cirillico sul retro della tela, afferibile al suo trasferimento da tavola nel 1855 quando si trovava in collezione a San Pietroburgo (Ferrari 2019, p. 280).
There are actually some correspondences with the stylistic signature of d'Oggiono following the drafting of the copy of the Virgin of the Rocks del Castello sforzesco, datata dopo la metà del primo decennio del XVI secolo.
The meditation around this essay by Leonardo and in particular the study of the face of the Virgin also testified by Madonna of the flowers from the Datrino collection, of identical composition to the homonymous work exhibited in this exhibition, as well as that of the San Giovanni of the Milanese cenacolo mediated by the copy of theLast Supper of the Castle of Ecouen, is imprinted in the stylistic modules adopted by the painter. We find them in particular in the face of Virgin and Child del pannello centrale del doppio trittico di Blois, che presenta una vicinanza formale col volto della santa in oggetto, tanto da suggerire l’utilizzo di un medesimo cartone, opportunamente ribaltato. Al san Giovanni nel deserto di questo retablo (Ferrari 2019), così come a quello con donatore della chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie a Milano, potrebbe essere del resto avvicinabile il Volto Santo della Veronica, nella contiguità fisionomica e definita da netti contrasti chiaroscurali del santo.
To these components of Leonardo's matrix should be added the suggestion derived by d'Oggiono from the Perugian models, also present in his mature works such as the Madonna of the lake of Greenville and the Nativity of the Louvre, an echo of which can be caught in the affected lightness of the face and hands of Saint Veronica, as well as in the pervasive classical archaism that defines the figure.
Bibliography
*PC Marani, Leonardo and the Leonardesque in Brera, Florence 1987, pp. 168-169, n. 318;
* J. Shell, in The Leonardos. Leonardo's legacy in Lombardy, Milano 1998, pp. 163-178;
*D. as early as, Marco d'Oggiono, tradition and renewal in Lombardy between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, Milan-Rome, 1989, pp. 59-60, no. 22, 68-71, 92-100;
*TO. Ballarin, Leonardo in Milan. Problems of Milanese Leonardism between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Giovanni Antonio Boltraffio before the Casio Altarpiece, 4vol. Verona 2012;
*S. Ferrari, in Leonardo and his outstanding circle, exhibition catalog (Beijing, Cafa Art Museum, September 12 - December 8, 2019), edited by Nicola Barbatelli, ed. Champfleury, Beijing 2019.
Daniela Alejandra Sbaraglia
Veronica, traditionally identified as the woman suffering from a form of severe bleeding in the Acts of Pilate, is undeniably connected to the image of the Holy Face of Christ. According to the story, Veronica offered a veil to Jesus during his ascension to Mount Calvary, and miraculously, his face was imprinted on the cloth. This event is often located at the VI station of the Via Crucis, depicting Christ's journey to the crucifixion. The name "Veronica" is derived from the Latin term "vera icon," meaning "true image," emphasizing the authenticity of the miraculous imprint.
According to certain traditions, Veronica is said to have personally brought this relic to Rome, where it is still preserved in Saint Peter's Basilica. The worship of Veronica gained significant strength during the 15th century, especially in Flanders, where she is venerated as the protector of textile merchants, and in France, where she is believed to have introduced the Christian religion alongside her husband Zaccheus.
The artwork of Saint Veronica with the Veil in question was designed for private worship. The commissioner is believed to have resided in the Milan area, but the artwork is associated with French culture. In this painting, Saint Veronica is depicted as a half-length portrait, with a compassionate gaze directed towards the veil she holds delicately between her fingers. The saint stands out against a dark background, skillfully brought to life through a pronounced chiaroscuro effect.
The painting was acquired from an auction house. Art historian Simone Ferrari has attributed this artwork to Marco d'Oggiono, a conclusion further supported by Alberto Cottino (Ferrari, 2019). Additionally, Ferrari noted the existence of Cyrillic writing on the back of the canvas. These inscriptions could be a result of the painting's history, as it was previously held in a collection in Saint Petersburg and underwent a transfer from a panel to its current canvas format in 1855 (Ferrari, 2019, p. 280).
Indeed, there are several elements that support the idinfication with a work of d’Oggiono, and in particular in his period that followed his participation to the completion of the Virgin of the Rocks at the Sforzesco castel after the first decede of the XVI century.
The meditation on Leonardo's pivotal work, especially focusing on the face of Mary, has a significant influence on d'Oggiono's artistic style. This influence can be observed in the Madonna of Flowers at the Datrino Collection, where similarities in the construction of the face with the Saint Veronica in question can be noticed. Additionally, d'Oggiono's contemplation of Leonardo's portrayal of Saint John the Evangelist from the Last Supper, known through the copy at the Ecouen Castle, also plays a crucial role in shaping his artistic approach. We can find these very same elements in the Virgin and Child, which is the central panel of the double triptych of Blois. In this artwork, the face of Mary exhibits several similarities with the face of Veronica, to the extent that we can even speculate about the use of the same preparatory drawing.
On the other hand, the Holy Face imprinted on the veil of Veronica could be linked to the portrayal of Saint John in the desert, found in the double triptych of Blois (Ferrari, 2019), as well as to the depiction of Saint John with the patron in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. Both works display a similar physiognomy, which is accentuated through a strong chiaroscuro contrast.
Together with visual elements inspired by Leonardo, Marco d'Oggiono also integrated influences from Perugino into his artistic style. The Saint Veronica painting shares certain characteristics, such as the elegance of the head and hands, as well as a consistent classical style, which can be observed in other works like the Madonna of the Lake at the Museum of Bob Jones University in Greenville and the Nativity of Jesus at the Louvre.
Bibliography
*PC Marani, Leonardo and the Leonardesque in Brera, Florence 1987, pp. 168-169, n. 318;
* J. Shell, in The Leonardos. Leonardo's legacy in Lombardy, Milano 1998, pp. 163-178;
*D. as early as, Marco d'Oggiono, tradition and renewal in Lombardy between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, Milan-Rome, 1989, pp. 59-60, no. 22, 68-71, 92-100;
*TO. Ballarin, Leonardo in Milan. Problems of Milanese Leonardism between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Giovanni Antonio Boltraffio before the Casio Altarpiece, 4vol. Verona 2012;
*S. Ferrari, in Leonardo and his outstanding circle, exhibition catalog (Beijing, Cafa Art Museum, September 12 - December 8, 2019), edited by Nicola Barbatelli, ed. Champfleury, Beijing 2019, pp. 279-280.