Simone Cantarini

SIMONE CANTARINI (Pesaro, 1612 - Verona, 1648).
"Couple of Puttos".
Oil on canvas.
With restorations.
They have a 17th century frame.
Measurements: 66 x 88 cm (x2); 79 x 102 cm (frames, x2).
This set of canvases starring in both cases a little angel offers us a tender image inspired by the sleeping cupids of Roman origin, creating a model that starts from the sweetness and innocence of a sleeping child, although at the same time it presents us the fleetingness of time and life. In this particular case the two scenes present us with a different composition. One of the angels leans on his own shoulder, looking at the viewer, holding a purple cloth and a staff. This is a model that was widely used in the representation of John the Baptist as a Child. The other scene allows us to see a monumental child angel turning his face away from the viewer and looking towards two figures who are barely visible in the scene. Although the presence of these figures is sketchy, it is possible to establish that this is a representation of Venus stealing Cupid's bow. Aesthetically, this is a composition typical of Baroque naturalism, more typical of the first half of the 17th century, but which was nevertheless maintained in the 17th century mainly in devotional works by followers of early Baroque masters, such as Simone Cantarini. In fact, in this canvas we can appreciate some of the basic characteristics of Cantarini's style, such as the profoundly naturalistic style and the mastery of light and colour typical of Venetian painters, given that during his youth he made a trip to Venice that would mark the development of his work in the future. In this particular case Cantarini was based on a model by Guido Reni, the master with whom he trained from 1635 to 1638, and he also had the opportunity to see first-hand the work of Orazio Gentileschi and Giovan Francesco Guerrieri, both of whom possessed the naturalistic style that interested Cantarini so much. On the other hand, his contact with Guido Reni influenced a certain classicism that is evident in his figures, although they are somewhat more realistic or less idealised than those of the Bolognese artist.
There is no documentary information on Cantarini's early training. He may initially have been a pupil of Giovanni Giacomo Pandolfi. A priest from a church in Pesaro who supported Cantarini's artistic career accompanied the young artist on a trip to Venice. In Venice he benefited from the guidance of the Venetian Mannerist painter Sante Peranda and learned to draw from Francesco Mingucci, a fellow citizen of Pesaro who lived in Venice. He returned to Pesaro and received his first commissions from the Augustinian order in Pesaro and nearby Fano. His first commissions included the painting Saint Rita of Cascia, now in the Church of Saint Augustine in Pesaro, and The Immaculate Conception with the Saints (Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna). It is assumed that Cantarini became a pupil of Claudio Ridolfi, although the precise moment of his training is not known. Ridolfi would have passed on to him the Venetian style and a strong appreciation of the work of Federico Barocci, Ridolfi's collaborator in Urbino. After Ridolfi left Pesaro in 1629, Cantarini was left without a teacher and was therefore obliged to continue his artistic training on his own. As he was not taught by a single master in his early years, Simone Cantarini was largely self-taught and absorbed the styles of other painters by making copies or sketches of their works. The Carracci prints together with the work of Federico Barocci were important influences on the young artist. In addition, he was inspired by the Caravaggesque art of Orazio Gentileschi, who worked in the Marche region during the 1610s, and Giovanni Francesco Guerrieri of nearby Fossombrone.