Lot 1224 D α

Scarsellino was a mannerist painter who was taught by his father Sigismondo Scarsella (1530-1614) before travelling to Bologna and Venice, where he was employed in the workshop of Paolo Veronese (1528-1588). His works are strongly influenced by the style of Dosso Dossi (1490-1542), but he also studied the works of Parmigianino (1503-1540) and combined the style of this painter from Ferrara with the rich colouring of the Venetians.
Although Scarsellino also carried out large public commissions, his individual style becomes most evident in his smaller works. He painted numerous annunciation scenes, and the present work can be grouped together with several other pieces of similar dimensions, which were probably painted as private devotional images. The composition, elegant poses of the figures, colour palette and generous brushstrokes in this work can be compared to a depiction of the same subject in the de Carlo collection (M. A. Novelli: Scarsellino, Mailan, 2008, illus. 240) and the Musée Crozatier in Le Puy-en-Velay (ibid., illus. 92).