Pair oil on copper, Naples 18th cent.
Exceptional pair of oval oil paintings on copper within the original silver repousse frames, attributed to the neapolitan painter Francesco De Mura (1696-1782). The exquisite paintings represents St. Joseph with the baby Jesus and The Virgin Mary with baby Jesus and baby St. John the Baptist.
Dimension with frames cm 32 x 18 ca - the paintings cm 15 x 11 ca
Excellent condition commensurate with age, small color losses.
Francesco de Mura (21 April 1696 – 19 August 1782) was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque period, active mainly in Naples and Turin. His late work reflects the style of neoclassicism.
He was a pupil of Francesco Solimena, then later with Domenico Viola, where he met his contemporary, Mattia Preti.
While still in his teens he painted frescoes (1715) in San Nicola alla Carità in Naples. He painted ten canvases of the Virtues and an Adoration of the Magi (1728) for the church of Santa Maria Donnaromita. His other works include frescoes of the Adoration of the Magi (1732) in the apsidal dome of the church of the Nunziatella. De Mura also painted portraits.
