Pamono Follower of Maestro Del Pappagallo, Madonna, 1600, Oil on Board, Framed> Old Masters|Classical

Master of the Parrot (Painter active in Antwerp in the early 16th century, whose name refers to the parrot that recurs in his Marian paintings) – follower of

Madonna Enthroned with Child
(with the coat of arms of the commissioning family at the top of the composition)

Oil on panel
101 x 62 cm – framed 114 x 76 cm.

This beautiful work exhibits the typical iconographic characteristics of the painter known as the ‘Master of the Parrot,’ a conventional term used by critics to describe an anonymous 16th-century Dutch artist.

More specifically, he was a painter from the Southern Netherlands, active in Antwerp around 1530-50, so called because of the unmistakable parrot that often appears in his works. In religious iconography, the parrot has often been used as a Marian symbol, as it was widely believed that its most common cry was “Ave,” the Archangel Gabriel’s greeting to Mary at the Annunciation.

Today, it is widely believed that the title “Master of the Parrot” does not refer to a single painter, but rather to a group who, based on their stylistic characteristics, trained in the workshop of Pieter Coecke van Aelst (Aalst 1502 – Brussels 1550). They created devotional paintings for bourgeois clients and focused their work on a specific subject matter that was particularly sought after by the contemporary market.

For example, we can mention the Virgin and Child at the San Diego Museum of Art (link), where the figures, like our own, are in line with the Mannerist taste for elegant, unrealistic body proportions, with elements such as tapered fingers, a broad face, and a thin nose. These characteristics also betray the influence of artists active in the region, such as Joos van Cleve, Ambrosius Benson, and Jan Gossaert, whose works he must have drawn inspiration from.

As we can clearly see from our painting, executed by a talented follower commissioned by the family whose coat of arms is affixed at the top, the works of these artists were characterized by the unmistakable influence of Italian Renaissance painting, particularly evident in the way the child lies on his mother’s lap and in the compositional choice to include a landscape glimpse visible through a window. The sfumato technique, reminiscent of Leonardo, also attests to the enduring Italian influence in these works.

The panel is in good condition, perfectly restored; there is a slight crack, visible at the bottom of the canvas near the edge of the table, which has been stabilized and minimally impacts the reading of the work.

It features an old, professionally executed parquetry.

The painting is completed by a pleasant gilded frame.

We must warn you that, given the fragility of some antique frames, there is a risk of minor damage to the gilding during transport, despite the utmost care in packaging.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The work is sold with a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.