Composizione in cera policroma raffigurante Estasi... Lot n° 40

The scene depicts Saint Francis in ecstatic contemplation. The founder of the order of Friars Minor wears a brown habit with a cord around his waist with the three knots, symbols of the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience (cf. J. Hall, Dizionario dei soggetti e dei simboli nell'arte, Milan 1989, pp. 181- 183). The Saint has stigmatisation marks on his hands and feet and holds a skull in his right hand, an allusion to man's mortality. The crucifix and the open prayer book are placed on the rock. The scene is surrounded by fluttering winged putti playing music and contemplating and winged cherubs' heads. The work for the realistic modeled and the fineness of execution it would seem to be brought back to Arma Fortino, born in Palermo in 1673 and there dead in 1749, that "exercised the poetry, the music and the painting but it distinguished above all in the art to model the wax" (cfr.A.Gallo, Part first of the news of painters and musaicisti siciliani and foreigners that operated in Sicily, ms. XV.H.18. of the 19th century, transcription and notes by M.M. Milazzo and G. Sinagra, Palermo 2003, p. 264; Idem, Parte seconda delle notizie di pittori e mosaicisti siciliani ed esteri che operarono in Sicilia, ms. XV.H.19. of the 19th century, introductory essay, transcription and notes by A. Mazzè, Palermo 2005, pp. 414-415, 480; Idem, Lavori artistici in cera di Anna Fortino, in "Passatempo per le dame", a. 4, n. 33, 13 August 1836, pp. 261-264; P. Sgadari Di lo Monaco, Pittori e scultori siciliani dal Seicento al primo Ottocento, Palermo 1940,p.54A.Mongitore,Memorie dei pittori,scultori,architetti,artefici in cera siciliani,ms.1742 ca.,edited by E.Natoli,Palermo 1977 pp.42-43).She is said to have been a pupil of Rosalia Novelli, Pietro's daughter (A. Mongitore, Memorie..., 1977, pp. 42-43). Mongitore, on the other hand, maintains that she learned the art of working with wax from a certain Zamiano, an alumnus who was then taken up by other biographers, probably to be understood as an error in Zummo's handwriting, just as Natoli hypothesises (A. Mongitore, Memorie..., 1977, pp. 42-43, see also M.Vitella, in Dizionario degli artisti siciliani, vol. IV,Arti Applicate, edited by M.C. Di Natale, in progress, ad vocem). She was also considered a pupil of Giacomo Serpotta by AnnettaTunisi Colonna and recently it has been suggested that she collaborated with the Sicilian stucco artist (S. Grasso - M.C. Gulisano, Mondi in miniatura le cere artistiche nella Sicilia del Settecento, Palermo 2011, pp. There is also a S. Giovanni Nepomyceno with angels and village, a Santa Rosalia, the Archangel Raphael and the portrait of a king of Sicily (A. Gallo, Lavori artistici..., in "Passatempo...", 1836, p. 262). Other nativity compositions made by the Palermo artist are also remembered, such as the one sent to Spain to King Philip V "who wanted it by his bedside" (A. Mongitore, Memorie..., 1977, p. 43) and many others scattered in various monasteries and private collections in Sicily.Fortino is also attributed two wax scenes placed inside glass urns with Saint Rosalie in the cave and Saint Jerome, kept in the church of Sant'Antonio Abate in Palermo (ibidem), works with applications of gilding in pure gold (C. Caldarella, L'arte della ceroplastica in Sicilia, in F.Azzarello, L'arte della ceroplastica in Sicilia nella tradizione della provincia di Palermo, Palermo 1987, p.13) and besides The massacre of the innocents, the Martyrdom of San Sebastiano, San Martino that offers the mantle to the poor man and a Santa Rosalia in prayer of the collectionTagliavia of Sciacca (F.Chiappisi,Arte ceroplastica inVal di Mazara nei secoli XVIII e XIX,in "Trapani",a.XXIX,n.261,1984,pp.20-21). Finally, we mention the deposed Christ of the Diocesan Museum of Palermo, in agreement with her (cf. F. Pottino, Il Museo Diocesano di Palermo, Palermo 1969, p. 30: M.C. Di Natale, Arti minori nel Museo Diocesano di Palermo, Palermo 1986, p. 74), coming from the Russo Perez collection, characterised like many other works of hers by the pre-coloured waxes and by the strong realistic impact (cf. M.C. Di Natale, in Siciliane, dizionario biografico edited by M. Fiume, Siracusa 2006, pp. 291-292 ad vocem Rosalia Novelli e Anna Fortino; see also M.C. Di Natale, Fortino Anna, in Enciclopedia della Sicilia, edited by C. Napoleone, Parma 2006). The work of the Maranghi collection refers to the circulation of engravings and paintings related to the life of the Saint of Assisi, which Fortino certainly drew upon, and these citations could constitute a further element for the attribution of the wax to the artist. It is recalled, in fact, the wax panel depicting the Madonna of the Rosary from a private collection, which faithfully reproduces the painting by Carlo Maratta placed on the altar of the church.