Giovanni Giacomo Sementi / Semenza (1580-1638, Giovanni Giacomo Sementi / Semenza (1580-1638) Miraculous healing

Oil on canvas, 131 × 95 cm

Sementi was a pupil of Denijs Calvaert (1540-1619) and later of Guido Reni (1575-1642), a prominent master of the Bolognese school.

In the artwork, a seated man with a bare upper body holds a rosary in his hands while being visited by a figure in a grey-green robe and blue cloak. Accompanied by two altar boys carrying candles, the visitor appears to be opening a book, likely to recite a spiritual passage. Another man, dressed in red, supports the half-dressed individual, implying illness and the need for healing, possibly of a saintly nature.

The chiaroscuro technique, reminiscent of Caravaggio's style, is employed but with a departure from his exaggerated realism. Instead, the composition embodies an idealized approach characteristic of the Bolognese school. The figure with the exposed torso draws inspiration from Michelangelo's models, showcasing a fusion of diverse stylistic elements typical of the Bolognese tradition. Oil on canvas, 131 × 95 cm