Donato Creti (Cremona, 1671 - Bologna, 1749)
Girl holding a Flower, 1715/1721 ca.
oil on canvas; inv. P 32
provenance: Bequest of Marcantonio Collina Sbaraglia to the Senate, 1744
The elegant composition of this overdoor is related to Male Nude Enchained (n. 22) and Young Girl Meditating (n. 6). Particularly in comparison to the latter, this painting shows Creti's ability to use different expressive forms, in this case a naturalistic and sentimental tone.
In Girl holding a Flower Creti achieves an emotional fusion of the figure with the landscape employing a high point of chiaroscuro technique. The woman's body is classically rounded, the draperies sometimes look brittle and firm and sometimes light and fluid. The penumbra shadow harmonizes these diverse elements.
