Blessed Osanna Andreasi's House

The work is part of the donation made by count Alessandro Magnaguti, who in turn probably received it from the Andreasi, whose last descendant, Luigia, married Giovanni Battista Magnaguti in 1780. The author of the painting is unknown, although it has often been attributed to the Costa workshop, the school of Lorenzo Costa the Young and his brother Luigi. Some scholars have hypothesised that it is a copy of a more valuable painting now lost. The impression, in fact, is that the style, although stiff, is reminiscent of that of Giulio Romano, who created a similar drawing. Some comparisons have been made with the Tradizione delle Chiavi, the only work by Costa that has survived to this day. In any case, the dramatic quality of the scene depicted is worthy of note. The mystic Mantuan figure rises in the sky, full of dark clouds, in the act of squashing a goat-like and feral Satan. The tail of the demon is like a snake unfolding in the direction of the mountains in the background. Next to Osanna, an angel with large wings seems to comfort her and support her, also immobilizing the enemy.

This painting is another portrait of the Blessed, evidently from a series beginning with the work that is part of the private collection attributed to Costa the Elder. The low quality of this canvas does not, however, prevent the viewer from recognizing her typical features, here particularly severe, and lacking many of the usual symbols. Here, in fact, we see only the cross, long and slender, that the Blessed holds as usual in her right hand, showing it to the worshippers.

In this devotional composition, the Blessed Osanna is painted standing on the left, while invoking the Virgin Mary who appears above, surrounded by clouds, carrying Baby Jesus in her arms. Next to Osanna we see Saint Dominic, who is in turn admiring the celestial vision. The peculiarity of this painting is, however, the presence of a total of fifteen tondos on the two sides and in the upper part of the painting, depicting the Mysteries of the Rosary. On the right we have the Joyful Mysteries: Annunciation, the Visitation of Mary to saint Elizabeth, the Nativity, the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, the Finding of Jesus in the Temple. On the left the Sorrowful Mysteries: the Agony in the Garden, the Scourging at the Pillar, the Crowning with Thorns, the Carrying of the Cross and the Crucifixion. Above the Glorious Mysteries: the Resurrection, the Ascension, the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Assumption of Mary and the Coronation of the Virgin. Finally, it must be noted that between the Blessed and Saint Dominic, we can make out the outline of the city of Mantua seen from San Giorgio. This detail allows to identify with certainty the female figure as being the Blessed Osanna

In this work that dates to the 19th century, the Saint is seen communicating with the crucifix, gently touching a lily, symbol of purity. According to the Dominican tradition the star is a symbol of predestination and is also a personal sign of Saint Dominic: indeed the story goes that on the day of his baptism his mother saw a star appear on his forehead. The star also plays a role in the Dominican vocation because it not only indicates the ability to direct one’s life towards Christ, but also the order’s mission, the ability to direct others, through words and the examples set by one’s life. The painting we are looking at was evidently created to be worshipped, and this explains the neatness of the images and the composed posture of the protagonist. The image of Dominic de Guzmán thus becomes the symbol of certain faith, together with the intense desire to mentally contemplate the mystery of God. And so, symbolizing the harmony between reason and faith, the features of the Saint continue to be passed on through time.

The interest in the painting by Giannino Giovannoni is sparked by two aspects. On the one hand he was an amateur artist, very cultured and productive, whose style was influenced both by Chiarismo and by a strong expressionist and existential tendency. A very prolific artist, he was also a passionate collector, and one of the protagonists of the 20th century tradition. Giannino Giovannoni was also a member of the Dominican laic order. His constant and tranquil faith, interacting in a critical way and with a lively intelligence, led him to conceive a cycle of sacred paintings, most of which were donated to the Andreasi Home. The crucifiction we can admire here, for instance, displays an overall dramatic quality enhanced and not diminished by the free brushwork. Christ is torn and consumed. The cross stands in front of the buildings in Jerusalem, behind it a sky that seems to be bursting into one big flame. The very thin figures of Mary and John are extinguished in a gesture of crushing pain. On the left the sleeping Jew is a beautiful example of 20th century orientalism, revealing the artist’s technical skill, whose nervous mark connects the clothes of the character to the surrounding scenery.