Italy, States. A Large Oil Painting of the Virgin Mary with John the Apostle
A very well-preserved oil on canvas painting depicting the Virgin Mary alongside John the Apostle. The former is presented as Our Lady of Sorrows, with a single sword piercing her heart (in reference to the prophecy of Simeon and her sharing in the suffering of her son on the cross) while tears stream down her face. She is comforted by a similarly-tearful John, reflecting Christ’s entrusting the pair to the care of one another according to John 19:26-27. The painting is set within a plain black-painted wooden frame with a narrow gilt border surrounding the image. The reverse shows exposed canvas, with an additional multi-piece wooden frame held in place with eight gilded magnetic metal clips to firmly fasten the painting in place. It is topped by a magnetic metal suspension loop, and flanked by two additional loops of identical construction accommodating a wire, allowing for optional hanging display. Unsigned, the visible portion of the painting measures 67.5 cm (w) x 102 cm (h), while the frame measures 84 cm (w) x 120 cm (h) overall. Minor cracking consistent with age and storage conditions is visible to the image, with additional sporadic scratching and loss of finish to the frame. This large painting remains in a near extremely fine condition.

