FRANCESCO MONTELATICI, CALLED CECCO BRAVO | THESEUS ABANDONING ARIADNE

Defined by vivid colors and strong contrasts of light and shade, this small canvas by Cecco Bravo dates to circa 1635, placing it early in his career. Here, the young Florentine artist displays his admiration for artists such as Titian, particularly in his nude female figure garbed in a thin linen and reclining on a rich red velvet, as well as Francesco Furini, a contemporary in Florence. Further supporting of the canvas’ early date are the notable similarities that this painting shares with Cecco Bravo's Angelica and Ruggiero, another youthful work, datable to circa 1640.¹  Both of these paintings closely compare in size, handling, and visual details, including a brightly illuminated female figure who contrasts with a male figure in shadow.

The scene most probably depicts Theseus abandoning a sleeping Ariadne on the island of Naxos, with his ship prepared on stormy seas in the distance. It alternatively may depict the Trojan hero Aeneas trying to clandestinely arrange his fleet of ships and leave his beloved Dido in Carthage, after receiving a message from Jupiter reminding him of his destiny in Italy. This would be the moment just before Dido realizes his plans, leading to her deep despair and ultimate death. 

We are grateful to Francesca Baldassari for endorsing the attribution on the basis of images and for her assistance in the cataloguing of the present lot. 

1. Oil on canvas, 32.4 by 44.5 cm, Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago, inv. no. 1973.42.