CESARE DANDINI, ATTRIBUTED TO
Florence, 1596 – 1657
Allegory of painting
oil on canvas, cm 44×36
The young female figures portrayed in the two small paintings represent, as incisively expressed by the attributes each holds in her hand, the allegory of Music and Painting, the two arts – dear to Renaissance aesthetics and philosophy – based on harmonic proportions governed by mathematical ratios and therefore often depicted together.
This is the case with our pendants by Cesare Dandini, an important exponent of 17th-century Florence, a member of a family of painters, and also known for his portraits and allegories.
The two girls emerge from the black background thanks to the strong direct light that falls on them, albeit in different ways.
Music, personified by the blonde and more vividly lit figure, holds a musical score between her fingers, turning her gaze upwards, a reminder of the harmony of the spheres and the role of music as a spiritual and contemplative activity.
Painting, whose hair is highlighted by delicate golden touches that emphasise the movement of the curls, holds her brushes and turns her head to the side as if observing an implied subject to be portrayed. The alternating poses not only help to characterise the roles of the two figures in different ways but also infuse the pendants with movement when viewed side by side.