Expertise the arts-master MAURIZIO MARINI

The painting, oil on paper laid on wood, is in an excellent state of preservation, depicting the evangelical episode of Christ Before Caiaphas, is an important attestation to the technique and style of the painter Gerrit Van Honthorst, known as Gherardo delle Notti(Utrecht 1590-1656). The nickname by which he is known was assigned to him due to one of his most frequent subjects , The Night, par excellence, the "Holy Night" of Christ' s Nativity. His background took place in the Utrecht cultural area, which was still loyal to Roman Catholicism. After an apprenticeship at Abraham Bloemaert 's workshop, he was encouraged by him to travel to Italy. In this environment, Rome offered him important motivations, and a substantial group of orders for art collectors (like Scipione Borghese and the Marquis Vincenzo Giustiniani) ,town and country churches (including Santa Maria della Concezione , Santa Maria della Scala , the church of PP.Cappuccini in Albano).
In addition to Gherardo's importance for the success of Dutch artists' painting, such as Rembrandt and Vermeer, his interpretation of Caravaggio' s naturalism gave new interpretative inspiration to the international context. Nevertheless, these subjects are outside the chronological details of this research, which is closely related to the years he spent in Rome (1606-1612).The fine painting in question is, in fact, the example on a small scale of a similar iconography, (cm 272x183), kept today by the National Gallery in London, originally carried out for Marquis Vincenzo Giustiniani (at the time he was a big supporter of Caravaggio and his Naturalism's, which he contributed to spreading through his protege artists). The large painting had immediate success, as recorded in multiple painted and engraved copies (See" Bibliography"). The painting under consideration, other than the high pictorial quality, has technical and competitive elements to ensure the Dutch master's authenticity. As we have said he was the equal of his other contemporary painters (i.e. Massimo Stanzione, Ribera and previously El Greco), in the absence of photography and to compensate for monochrome engravings he had in his workshop small versions of important paintings commissioned from him. They represented a reminder for the workshop and at the same time something to show to possible customers.
Copper as a support was very widely used but Hontorst (as a demonstration of his funds) used very expensive paper. The paper (laid on wood or canvas) can absorb excess oil without causing cracks: it conserves material and colours indefinitely, as we can see from the painting in question.
Possible comparison with similar works of art are very interesting, including "Mocking of Christ "(by candlelight) at the Los Angeles County Museum ;"Saint Joseph in the Carpenter' s Shop "at San Silvestro Montecompatri (Rome); "Beheading of St John",Rome, Santa Maria della Scala. Maurizio Marini

Maurizio Marini