Rutilio di Lorenzo Manetti

RUTILIO DI LORENZO MANETTI ( Italy, c. 1571 -1639)
"The ecstasy of St. Catherine of Siena".
Oil on canvas. Relined.
It presents restorations.
Measurements: 176 x 119 cm.
Saint Catherine of Siena is shown kneeling, as if she had just fallen before the figure of Jesus, who holds with his right hand the heart of the saint, while with his left hand he grabs her hand. Formally it is a clearly baroque work in its composition, variegated and marked by diagonal lines that determine a zigzag reading of the scene. In fact, the work is largely reminiscent of the painting of the Italian artist Rutilio di Lorenzo Manetti, who immortalized the saint on numerous occasions as witnessed by his painting of St. Catherine of Siena holding Christ or St. Catherine of Siena writing. Rutilio di Lorenzo Manetti was an Italian painter of late Mannerism or proto-Baroque, active mainly in Siena. He was taught by local artists Francesco Vanni and Ventura Salimbeni. It is known that he collaborated with Raffaello Vanni. His masterpieces include his contributions to the Casino Mediceo, where he worked alongside Matteo Rosselli, Giovanni Lanfranco and Cesare Dandini. It should be noted that the Genoese school was one of the most relevant of the time, not only because of the enrichment of the city that led to the rebirth of culture, but also because it was the epicenter of numerous painters such as Van Dyck, Peter Paul Rubens, and Procaccini, among others. This convergence of artists was a great inspiration in the development of Genoese painting, which drew from such diverse sources as Flemish painting, or the Lombard school, giving rise to a very personal and characteristic idiosyncrasy.

Born in Siena around 1347, at the age of seven Catherine of Siena took a vow of virginity. As her mother wanted to marry her off, she shaved her head. Received into the Third Order of St. Dominic at the age of sixteen, she led an ascetic life in the convent that ruined her fragile health. She professed a particular devotion to St. Agnes of Montepulciano. According to legend, when Catherine visited the tomb of St. Agnes, and was bending over the body of the saint to kiss her foot, the saint raised it to the height of her lips. She was glorified for having contributed to bring Pope Gregory XI to Rome from Avignon. On the occasion of the Western Schism, she took the side of Urban VI. She died in Rome in 1380 and was canonized in 1461.