National Gallery of Art acquires work by Pietro Testa
The First Art Newspaper on the Net    Established in 1996 Thursday, November 7, 2024


National Gallery of Art acquires work by Pietro Testa
Pietro Testa, The Prophecy of Basilides, c. 1648/1649. Pen and brown ink with wash over black chalk with traces of red chalk, on gray-green prepared paper. National Gallery of Art, Washington. William B. O'Neal Fund and Gift of Funds from Ann and Matthew Nimetz, and from Andrea Woodner 2022.160.1



WASHINGTON, DC.- Pietro Testa (1612–1650) was a celebrated painter and etcher in Rome in the second quarter of the 17th century. The National Gallery of Art has acquired the late drawing The Prophecy of Basilides (c. 1648/1649), one of Testa’s most elaborate inventions and a unique record of his preparatory process. This drawing joins three others and 23 etchings in the National Gallery’s collection.

Based on an account in Petrarch’s On Vespasian, which is in turn based on the ancient Roman histories of Suetonius and Tacitus, The Prophecy of Basilides invokes problematic 17th-century ideas to rationalize the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman emperor Titus in 70 CE. The prophet Basilides, kneeling at an altar, divines the fate of Titus, who stands in armor while his soldiers march in the background at left. In the center of the composition, a personification of justice points to a vision of the dead Jesus Christ below God, who reaches for the brands that will set the city aflame. The image implies that the destruction of Jerusalem was deserved because—in anti-Semitic opinions of Testa’s time—the Jews were responsible for Christ’s death.

Executed in the complex pictorial technique that is characteristic of Testa’s latest compositional studies, the drawing was prepared for a fresco cycle in the church of San Martino al Monte. Testa would realize the composition only in a small painting now in the collection of the Museo di Capodimonte in Naples. The design was also translated into an etching executed after Testa’s death by his nephew, Giovanni Cesare Testa.










Today's News

May 16, 2023

European masterworks from Linden House Collection to be auctioned at Hindman

Sotheby's beats world record for a Rolex Daytona John Player Special at CHF 2.2 Million

Shelburne Museum announces major Native American initiative

Naomi Milgrom unveils design for MPavilion 10 by Tadao Ando

National Gallery of Art acquires work by Pietro Testa

Jewel encrusted pocket watch is the highlight at the Bonhams Knightsbridge Watches and Wristwatches Sale

Fern Coppedge to highlight great American landscapes at Hindman

New paintings and sculptures by Meron Engida Hawke showcase modern Ethiopia

Phillips names Benoît Repellin as Worldwide Head of Jewellery

Samuel Fosso wins the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize 2023

Kevin Beasley exhibition 'In an Effort to Keep' now on view at Casey Kaplan

'A Particular Kind of Heaven' currently on view at Parrasch Heijnen

Shezad Dawood: Night in the Garden of Love Inspired by & featuring Yusef Lateef

She wrote a blistering satire about publishing. The publishing industry loves it.

Onstage, 'Brokeback Mountain' is still a tragedy

Lawrie Shabibi now representing Dima Srouji

Stephen Friedman Gallery announces New York Location

Impressive results for the first Modern & Contemporary African and Middle Eastern Art Auction at Olympia Auctions

Ai Weiwei's Fly finds new home in the Eden Project's Rainforest Biome

Getty presents Play and Pastimes in the Middle Ages at the Getty Center

Whyte's presents 122 lots showcasing very best in Irish and International art

Nancy Hoffman Gallery opens an exhibition of work by gallery artists

5 Amazing Backyard Lighting Ideas to Light Up Your Outdoor Space

How to Choose Teeth Whitening Gels

Which Is Better Between, WPS Office and Microsoft Office?

Unveiling the Best Natural Ingredients in Face Moisturizers

Seamless Video Production: Advantages of Utilizing Online Editing Tools

What You Need To Know When Shopping for Wedding Guest Dresses

7 Effective Techniques to Manage Anxiety in Daily Life

Why is Keto Diet so popular among the celebs?

Factors That Make Online Poker Hugely Popular

PikaShow Download Latest Version 2023 For Android

Art Is Meant to Be Experienced: Some Tips to Make That Happen




Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography,
Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs,
Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, .

 



Founder:
Ignacio Villarreal
(1941 - 2019)
Editor & Publisher: Jose Villarreal
Art Director: Juan José Sepúlveda Ramírez
Writer: Ofelia Zurbia Betancourt

Attorneys
Truck Accident Attorneys
Accident Attorneys
Holistic Dentist
Abogado de accidentes
สล็อต
สล็อตเว็บตรง

Royalville Communications, Inc
produces:

ignaciovillarreal.org juncodelavega.com facundocabral-elfinal.org
Founder's Site. Hommage
to a Mexican poet.
Hommage
       

The First Art Newspaper on the Net. The Best Versions Of Ave Maria Song Junco de la Vega Site Ignacio Villarreal Site Parroquia Natividad del Señor
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful