(Bologna 1575–1642) and workshop; Saint Sebastian, oil on canvas, 136 x 102.5 cm, framed

Provenance: European private collection;

Certificate: Dr. Emilio Negro (as Guido Reni - written communication);

Guido Reni returned to the same suject matter on numerous occasions (see R.E. Spear, The devine Guido: religion, sex, money and art in the world of Guido Reni, New Haven, 1997, p.69,341).The present can be compared to two fully autograph paintings by Reni one in Rome, Pinacoteca Capitolina, the other in Genoa,Musei di Strada Nuova at the Palazzo Rosso in Genoa, which most scholars date to 1615/16 ( P. Boccardo, X. Salomon, Guido Reni: il tormento e l‘estasi. I San Sebastiano a confronto, Genoa 2007). The Rome, Capitolina version (oil on canvas, 128x98cm was catalogued in the inventory of Cardinal Del Monte in 1627 the Genoa picture(oilon cnavas, 127x92cm) was originally in the Brignole-Sale collection (S.Pepper, Guido Reni, L´opera completa no. 48,p.238,fig. 4) The present painting is indeed compostionally similiar to the two paintings, particulaly the Rome version where the psoitioning of the figure and the arrows correspond. The significant differences are in the fluid handling of the landscape and the absence of figures in the backgraound form the present compostion.
Dr. Emilio Negro has confirmed a full attribution to Guido Reni for the present painting (written communication) and believes it to be an important addition to the artist´s oeuvre. Negro has suggested dating the present work to the artist´s first period in Rome between 1601-1614, comparing this painting of Saint Sebastian to Guido´s painting of the Apostles Peter and Paul, Milan, Pinacoteca di Brera and David with the head of Goliath, Paris, Louvre. Negro indicates that the treatment of the shadows and the close-up view of the composition are indicators of the artist‘s Caravaggesque period of circa 1610. This dating would make the present painting the earliest known version of this celebrated compostion, preceeding both the Rome and the Genoa versions.

Provenance: European private collection; Certificate: Dr. Emilio Negro (as Guido Reni - written communication); Guido Reni returned to the same suject matter on numerous occasions (see R.E. Spear, The devine Guido: religion, sex, money and art in the wor