Attributed to Leonello Spada - Cain and Abel

The subject depicts the killing of Abel by his brother Cain. According to the episode, recounted in Genesis, Cain, envious of the fact that the Lord had rejected his tributes and accepted those of Abel, attacked his brother and killed him. According to Christian symbolism, the killing of Abel prefigures the sacrifice of Christ, and Cain's betrayal prefigures that of Judas. For this reason, the subject has enjoyed a certain popularity in Western art history. Iconographically, the two subjects are usually depicted semi-nude, dressed in skins. The only variation is the weapon used by Cain, which may be a club or a donkey's jawbone.

We are faced with a work undoubtedly born of the great naturalism of the seventeenth century, which, aiming to correct the supposed errors of Mannerism, drew directly from the great masters of the late Renaissance, Raphael in particular. This is evident first and foremost in an extremely harmonious composition, of great classical scope, not only in form but also in spirit—that is, in the conception of a unified work of art. The two figures are united in struggle, in a carefully calibrated interplay of references and correspondences in the positions of their limbs. The naturalistic rendering is complete, and the unity of the work is also expressed in a restrained atmosphere. Cain and Abel, in fact, interact with the space in a balanced way, with a light sfumato that renders their contours indefinite; their flesh is soft to the touch, and their hair is light in the air. Even the few landscape elements fade naturally into the distance, according to a harmonious gradation of tones. The light strikes the subjects forcefully, illuminating Abel's already pale body and casting deep shadows on Cain's figure. This highlights the remarkable anatomical perfection of the muscles and the bodies' sculptural plasticity. The color palette, with a predominance of dark tones, is typically 17th-century.

The work has been attributed to Lionello Spada based on an appraisal by art historian Emilio Negro. Born in Bologna in 1576, the artist initially trained in a typically late Mannerist style. In 1607, he entered the Accademia degli Incamminati, and under the guidance of the Carraccis, his work aligns with the great classicizing naturalism typical of that school. He later traveled to Rome and Malta, where he was influenced by Caravaggio's style. He returned to Bologna in 1614 and in the same year worked on the Basilica della Ghiara in Reggio Emilia. In 1617, he became Ranuccio Farnese's official painter in Parma. He died there in 1622. In the book "Caravaggio and the Caravaggeschi in Emilia" published in 2014 by the internationally renowned expert and art critic Emilio Negro, assisted by Nicosetta Roio, regarding Merisi and his environment, they reiterate that the great master inspired an artistic path that inevitably marked the path of several Emilian artists of the time such as the three Carraccis, Annibale, Agostino, Ludovico, however only Leonello Spada, not coincidentally called Caravaggio's monkey, appears to be closest to him and the most considered in studies on Caravaggio's painting, it seems that he also posed as his model (it is thought that he is the young player portrayed from behind in Merisi's famous painting "The Calling of Saint Matthew").

The transaction takes place with maximum security for both the seller and the buyer. We take care of the conformity (provenance, authenticity, state of conservation) of the work and handle the shipping.
Returns are possible no later than 14 days after receiving the order.