French, Italian, and Spanish Paintings

On View: West Building, Main Floor

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86 artworks on view.

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A parrot perches on a branch to the left next to some artichokes, a vase of flowers, and a dish of cherries in this horizontal still life painting. Light comes from the top left corner, and the objects are arranged across a cream-white stone ledge with stepped molding on the underside. The front left corner of the molding is near the left edge of the painting, and the ledge continues off the right side of the canvas. The parrot has a muted green body, yellow and blue head, red-streaked wings, and a hooked beak. It faces our right in profile. The source of the branch on which it perches is difficult to make out. It does not seem to be coming from the stalks of artichokes lying to our right of the bird, and the back end of the stick is lost in shadow. Seven cigar-sized pea pods lie on the ledge next to the three artichoke stalks. Ruby-red cherries shimmer in the light, and they are interspersed with a variety that is pale yellow and blush red and some unripe cherries. Two more pea pods are on this pale blue dish, which has a low pedestal foot, with the cherries. Behind the cherries and peas is a vase with sky-blue and nearly black irises, vivid red poppies, shite flowers, and a red flower with layers of small, rounded petals. The background is slate gray where the light falls across the far wall and deep in shadow beyond that.

Still Life with Artichokes and a Parrot

Italian 17th Century

17th century

Oil on canvas  Accession ID  1998.23.2

On View: West Building Main Floor, Gallery M34
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Holy-Water Stoup

Giovanni Antonio Fornari

c. 1765-1775

Silver, lapis lazuli, gilded bronze, and copper  Accession ID  2012.107.1

On View: West Building Main Floor, Gallery M30
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Four men and one woman gather around a dead man who is dressed in a bright honey-gold cape and pointed hat, his stone-gray face resting on a stump or column in this dark vertical painting. All the people have peachy skin or light skin tinged with green. Shown from the knees up, Saint Gennaro, the dead man, twists and slumps to our right. On the stump, his eyes are closed and his lips parted. His hands are crossed at his waist and bound with rope. He wears a tall hat rising to a peak in the center. His cloak drapes over a white tunic, and red seeps from around his neck. On our right, a brown-haired woman is shown from the waist up, bending down in front of Saint Gennaro’s face. The light falls across the scene from our right, so her profile is in shadow. She holds a silver chalice in one hand and squeezes something, perhaps a rag or sponge, over the chalice with her other hand. A clean-shaven man with dark curly hair stands behind the stump. That man’s body faces us as he leans to our right and tilts his head down over Saint Gennaro, his shadowed face obscured. His left hand is under the dead man’s head and his right hand clutches his own chest. Behind the dead man and to our left, a bald, gray bearded man bends over and spreads his arms wide over and across the saint’s back. His brow is furrowed, and he looks at Saint Gennaro with deep-set eyes. Along the left edge of the canvas, a bald man with a hooked nose and large ears stands and angles his body to our right, his face in profile. He leans back from the dead man, his right hand holding a knife or sword with a bird-shaped hilt. The fourth man close to Saint Gennaro looks on to our right, from behind the stooping woman. The people gathered around Saint Gennaro wear clothes in muted shades of gray, brown, and white. The edge of a building rises up along the left edge of the composition. In front of a distant mountain to our right, more people are gathered, some with swords raised and others looking on with mouths gaping. One faint head, the face painted in tones of ash gray, peeks over the shoulder of the fourth man. Yellow streaks near the horizon also illuminate the undersides of heavy, dark gray clouds above.

The Martyrdom of Saint Gennaro

Mattia Preti

c. 1685

Oil on canvas  Accession ID  2000.75.1

On View: West Building Main Floor, Gallery M33
The sculpture depicts a central figure kneeling on the ground, draped in flowing robes, surrounded by celestial figures including an angel with wings holding a cup. In the background, there is a palm tree and a group of partially visible people, with a child angel holding a cross above, and another small figure in the clouds. The artwork is made of a rich, brown material, likely bronze, with a smooth, polished finish that emphasizes the detailed textures and flowing lines. The composition is highly detailed and dynamic, featuring an interplay of figures and elements in a circular format.

The Agony in the Garden

Angelo de Rossi

c. 1700

Copper  Accession ID  2006.21.1

On View: West Building Main Floor, Gallery M30
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Portrait of a Gentleman

Pompeo Batoni

c. 1762

Oil on canvas  Accession ID  2004.86.1

On View: West Building Main Floor, Gallery M32
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A light-skinned, clean-shaven man sitting cross-legged on the floor nearly fills this almost square painting. His body is angled to our right, and he bends forward, using a knife to cut a block of dried tobacco leaves on a wood board. A straight-edged bowl is nearby to collect the flakes. The man’s head is unevenly shaved so is short on the side and bushier down the middle of his head to the back. He has a round nose, and his pink lips are parted. He wears a golden-yellow vest over a white shirt, the puffy sleeves roll up to expose the upper arms. A scarlet-red overskirt drapes across his hips over roomy slate-gray, knee-length pants. He is barefoot, and we see the underside of the toes closer to us. A scale and two roll-sized loaves of bread on a white cloth sit on the ground in front of him along the bottom edge of this canvas. Light falls across the scene from our left so the far side of his face is in shadow, as is the space behind the man. Only the top of the head of a second man, also bald, and a hand holding a long, glowing tobacco pipe are clearly visible in the shadows. The man lies with his head toward us, and his body disappears behind the other person.

A Man Cutting Tobacco

Mattia Preti

1660s

Oil on canvas  Accession ID  2023.19.1

On View: West Building Main Floor, Gallery M33
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The sculpture depicts a reclining female figure with long, wavy hair and ornate features. She is draped in flowing robes that cascade over a rocky surface beneath her. Her head rests upon a cushioned surface and is tilted to the side in a relaxed posture, and her arms are crossed over her waist. Adjacent to her left elbow, a skull is subtly integrated into the composition. The sculpture is made of bronze with a dark patina. The clothes are shiny, emphasizing their folds. The piece is intricately detailed, with realistic proportions and features.

The Penitent Magdalen

Nicolas Legendre

model 1664, cast probably before 1709

Bronze  Accession ID  1971.6.1

On View: West Building Main Floor, Gallery M37
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This painting shows a seated woman with closed eyes, seen from the waist up. She is on the left side of the painting, her body turned to the right and her head facing us. She has pale skin, a white cloth covering their hair, and a black cloak over a black dress with long sleeves. She appears to be sleeping, her eyes closed and her expression neutral. In the bottom left corner, a small black-and-white dog looks up at her, its paws resting on her back. In the background on the right is a white cross with a white male figure hanging from it. He has a cloth wrapped around his waist and a crown of thorns on his head. Behind the cross is a blue sky with white and gray clouds. The top, bottom, and right edges of the painting have reddish-brown borders that blend into the sky.

Saint Margaret of Cortona

Giovanni Battista Piazzetta

1737

Oil on canvas  Accession ID  1997.57.9

On View: West Building Main Floor, Gallery M32
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The sculpture depicts a muscular, bearded man standing in a dynamic pose, wielding a trident in his right hand. He has a flowing, textured cloak that billows behind him as he stands with his left leg slightly forward and bent, and his right leg almost straight. The sculpture is primarily black and appears to be made of a glossy material, possibly bronze, which highlights the details of the man's defined muscles and face. Beside his legs, there is a wave-like structure that resembles water. The figure looks to the left with a focused expression.

Neptune with a Hippocamp

Michel Anguier

model 1652, cast probably 1652/1680s

Bronze  Accession ID  2001.41.1

On View: West Building Main Floor, Gallery M37
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This painting features a large woven basket filled with pears and a couple of peaches or apples, positioned in the center-left of the composition. Below the basket, there are a few peaches resting separately, while four cucumbers lie in the center of the table. To the right, a reflective bowl overflows with figs. In front of it is a yellow melon with a textured rind that has been cut open. The color palette includes hues of green, red, and the yellow of the melon. The lighting in the image comes from the upper left, casting shadows on the brown surface below and highlighting the texture and color of the fruits against the black background.

Still Life with Apples, Pears, Cucumbers, Figs, Plums, and a Melon

Fede Galizia

c. 1625 - 1630

Oil on panel  Accession ID  2023.3.2

Not on view
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The sculpture depicts a woman in a flowing robe holding a child. The woman has short, dark hair, rosy cheeks, and wears a serene expression. Her eyes are looking downward. She is dressed in richly patterned and colorful garments with a palette of gold, red, and dark green hues. One of her hands is extended outward, while the other holds a child. The child, dressed in a brown garment, looks directly ahead with wide eyes and a calm demeanor. The child has curly brown hair and extends one arm outward. At the base of the sculpture, four cherubic faces emerge from the bottom of the woman's robes. Two of them look upward, towards the woman, while the other two look off to the sides.

Virgin and Child

Luisa Roldán

c. 1680/1686

Painted wood  Accession ID  2022.39.1

On View: West Building Main Floor, Gallery M34
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The sculpture is part of a carved wooden table that features intricate human and mythical figures. At the front are carvings of two female torso figures flanking a lion-like face, with additional figures with long wings on the sides. The material is polished wood with a deep brown color highlighting the details. The table is on a sturdy base with scrollwork and floral motifs. The sculpture combines utility with decorative elements reflecting classical and mythical themes.

Walnut Table with Herms and Sphinxes at the Ends

Italian 16th Century

second half 16th century

Walnut, oak, beech, and maple  Accession ID  1942.9.367

On View: West Building Main Floor, Gallery M37
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