C. Fassi - Saint John the Apostle

The figure of Saint John the Apostle is one of the most important in Christianity, so much so that he is traditionally called "Christ's beloved disciple." Indeed, he is constantly present at the most important moments in Jesus' life, right up until his passion and death. He is considered the author of a Gospel, three Epistles, and the Book of Revelation. Iconographically, there are two ways of depicting Saint John. On the one hand, as a young and beardless apostle, sometimes even with androgynous features (a famous example is Leonardo's Last Supper). On the other, as an elderly prophet who has a vision of the Day of Judgment on Patmos, depicted as an old man with a full beard (Correggio's dome in the church of San Giovanni Evangelista in Parma). It is clear that the work in question falls into the first category.

In this painting, we can appreciate the high classicist style of the painter C. Fassi. It is undoubtedly a product of the great naturalism of the 16th and 17th centuries, which, aiming to correct the supposed errors of Mannerism, drew directly from the great masters of the late Renaissance, Raphael in particular. Hence the monumentality of the figure of Saint John, with its rounded forms that undoubtedly also have something to do with Titian. A total naturalistic rendering, therefore, which is also expressed in a restrained atmosphere. Saint John, in fact, interacts with the space in a balanced way, with a light sfumato that makes the contours undefined, the flesh soft to the touch, and the hair light in the air. The drapery, which enhances the volumes of the monumental figure, is extraordinary. In terms of color, a certain clarity prevails, akin to a typically 19th-century romantic-idealistic aesthetic.

There are many features consistent with a 19th-century placement for this painting by C. Fassi. Given the remarkable craftsmanship of the work, he certainly appears to be an artist with an academic background. The type of religious idealization that characterizes this Johannine effigy suggests a type of intimate, almost romantic pietism.

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