Artwork
Saint Margaret of Cortona
Saint Margaret of Cortona is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Gaspare Traversi. It dates from 1758 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
An oil painting of Saint Margaret of Cortona, made in Italy in 1758. Traversi was known for detailed, sometimes comic scenes of everyday life, and touches of that style can surface even in a religious subject.
Subject & Meaning
She sits in a modest interior, gazing at an angel whose fingers touch a crown of thorns and partly veil a skull, while she holds a crucifix in her left hand.
The painting portrays Margaret of Cortona, a thirteenth-century Franciscan tertiary, identified by the knotted rope belt (cincture) of her order. She sits in a modest interior, gazing at an angel whose fingers touch a crown of thorns and partly veil a skull, while she holds a crucifix in her left hand. In the background a bat-winged satanic figure flees, hiding his face; his wings bear obscure circles.
A dog, referenced in the saint's writings, alludes to the animal that led her to her murdered lover's corpse, prompting her conversion. These elements, crown of thorns (Christ's Passion), skull (memento mori), crucifix (faith), angel (divine aid), and departing devil (temptation overcome), form an allegory of Margaret's turn from a sinful life to eremitic devotion, a narrative that resonated with women seeking absolution through the Franciscan tertiaries.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1758, this is an oil painting on canvas by the Italian late-Baroque artist Gaspare Traversi, who worked primarily in Naples. Traversi was known for his sharp characterization and intricate narrative detail, qualities visible in the varied expressions of the figures and the precise rendering of symbolic attributes. The composition is set in a plain interior, a format that keeps attention on the figures and their spiritual drama rather than on decorative background elements.
History & Provenance
The painting Saint Margaret of Cortona was created in 1758 by the Italian late-Baroque artist Gaspare Traversi, who worked in Naples. It is an oil on canvas that entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is displayed as part of the museum's religious art holdings. No documentation of a specific commission survives, but the work is recognized as a contemporary 18th-century devotional image reflecting the veneration of Saint Margaret of Cortona in Italy.
Overview
This oil painting, "Saint Margaret of Cortona," was created by the Italian artist Gaspare Traversi around 1758. Active primarily in Naples during the Late Baroque period, Traversi is recognized for his distinctive style. While he is often celebrated for his intricate and occasionally humorous genre scenes depicting everyday life, this particular work presents a religious subject, offering insight into the breadth of his artistic output.
Context
Gaspare Traversi was active in Naples, a significant artistic hub in 18th-century Italy. His work reflects the vibrant cultural environment of the city, where both religious commissions and secular genre scenes found patronage. While his name is strongly associated with the latter, paintings like "Saint Margaret of Cortona" demonstrate his participation in the broader artistic currents and devotional practices prevalent during the Late Baroque period in southern Italy.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Gaspare Traversi (February 1722 – 1 November 1770) was an Italian Rococo painter best known for his genre works. Active mostly in his native city of Naples, he also painted throughout the Italian peninsula, including a stay in Parma.
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