Italian school; 17th century.

Italian school; XVII century.
"The visitation".
Oil on canvas. Relined.
It has frame of the twentieth century:
Measurements: 45 x 37 cm; 75 x 65 cm (frame).
This scene follows the model of an engraving by Federico Zuccari. The work belongs to the Renaissance or Mannerist pictorial tradition, possibly influenced by the Italian or Spanish school. The scene captures the emotional encounter between the Virgin Mary and her cousin Saint Elizabeth, framed in an architectural context with a landscape background visible through an arch, a resource that adds depth to the composition. The landscape background, visible through the arch, shows a fortified city under a twilight sky, reinforcing the sense of an unfolding story and connecting the scene with a broader spatial dimension. This perspectival device is typical of the Renaissance, offering a sense of depth and three-dimensionality.
The Gospels narrate that Mary, after receiving the announcement of her divine maternity, heard from the angel Gabriel that her cousin Elizabeth was also expecting a son, who would be John the Baptist. Feeling inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Virgin went to her cousin to tell her the news. St. Ambrose notes that it was Mary who went ahead to greet Elizabeth, since it is the Virgin Mary who always goes ahead to give demonstrations of affection to those she loves. When Mary arrives, Elizabeth says to her: "Blessed are you among women for having fulfilled what the Lord commanded you. Who am I that the Mother of my Savior should visit me? This episode is considered the first manifestation of the Messiah since Mary, with the Child in her womb, brings salvation and happiness to her cousin's family. An episode that has been widely reproduced throughout the history of art, it usually presents both women embracing each other, often placing their hands on their stomachs or breasts in allusion to their respective pregnancies. In this scene, in addition, St. Joseph and St. Zachary appear.