Creator d’Asaro, Pietro

Medium Artwork: Painting

City Palermo | Region Italy | Old kingdom Sicily

Artwork:
Natività con i Santi Chiara, Francesco e Giovanni Baptista, 1609, Oil on canvas, 390 x 284 cm. Provenance: Chiesa di Santa María di Gesù dei Francescani Osservanti. Inscribed: “MONOCULUS RACALMUTENSIS PINGEBAT MDCVIIII”. The figure playing the vihuela, presumably aan angel although perhaps not on account of the colour of the his clothing, is situated in the upper left of this painting among a multitude of angels. The one next to him holds a harp, and another holds a straight trumpet. The colour difference in the clothing may well be in order to separate the heavenly characters from the earthly ones. This crowd is gathered around the Virgin and Saints Clara, Francis and John the Baptist.

Instrument:
This instrument has the main features of the Italian viola da mano, with a characteristic body shape and a sickle-shaped pegbox. Not many features can be distinguished in detail as the artist has sought to use a tonality that keeps it into the background of the canvas. Details of strings and frets are not visible. The frets are faint and the strings and soundhole appear not to be depicted.

Photographs by Bor Zuljan, used with permission.