BEAUTY, SEDUCTION AND SHARING
Artworks from Gaudium Magnum Foundation – Maria and João Cortez de Lobão
Joseph interpreting the Baker’s & Cupbearer’s dreams by Alessandro Magnasco (Genoa, 1667-1749)
Born in Genoa, but working mainly in Milan and Florence, Alessandro Magnasco is one of the most unusual painters of the early 18th century. His slender figures, rendered in nervous and expressive brushstrokes, are the most distinctive trait of a singular style, both from a technical and a thematic point of view. Strongly inspired by literature and the theatre, Magnasco became noted for his representations of marginal characters, usually excluded from the painting of his contemporaries in Italy: beggars and vagabonds, secluded monks, or convicted prisoners. The originality of his work reveals a sharp and critical eye, mindful of the philosophical and cultural debates of his times.
Here, unlike in his scenes with nameless characters in squalid poverty, Magnasco depicts Joseph, son of Jacob, in the episode that will lead to his liberation. In a composition clearly inspired by the theatrical scenography of the period, this painting likely alludes to an opera performed in Milan in 1726.
Alessandro Magnasco (Genoa, 1667-1749), Joseph interpreting the Baker’s & Cupbearer’s dreams, oil on canvas, 134 × 177 cm, Gaudium Magnum Foundation – Maria and João Cortez de Lobão (photo @ Jorge Simão)
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About the Gaudium Magnum Foundation
The Gaudium Magnum Foundation – Maria and João Cortez de Lobão Art Collection - was created in 2018. Its mission is the enhancement of Portugal - its culture and its people - and the Portuguese language. The Gaudium Magnum Foundation aims to be an institution open to the world, promotes the Common Good, and contributes to a fairer society in the light of Christian values and the mission of Portugal in the world. To pursue these goals, it bases its action on four fundamental areas: Culture, Education, Charity, and Research. Regarding the Cultural Area, the Foundation’s art collection gathers a valuable set of works of art, mainly by Old Masters, with a significant component of Portuguese artists.
Website: https://www.gaudiummagnum.org/