XVIII century Neapolitan school Praying Madonna. Oil on copper, Cm 16x12.

Praying Madonna – oil on copper, Neapolitan school, early 18th century.

Small devotional oil painting on copper.

The oval panel measures 16 × 12 cm.

Colours are luminous and well preserved. It depicts the classic “Madonna in Prayer” and reflects the Neapolitan shift from Baroque drama to the airy elegance of the Rococo in the early 1700s, showing clear influence from the style of Francesco de Mura.

The theme of the Madonna with clasped hands was much loved in Italian painting and found its highest expression in the luminous, enamel‑like colour of Sassoferrato’s seventeenth‑century Madonnas, models that later artists adapted to their own styles. In this small oval, the Virgin is shown at half‑length with her hands joined and eyes downcast. A soft ivory veil frames her youthful face, and a slim golden halo encircles her head. The blue mantle over a rose‑coloured gown and the gentle interplay of blues, pinks and ochres give the scene an intimate radiance, while a draped curtain and architectural fragment provide context without distracting from the devotional focus.

The painting belongs to the Neapolitan school and dates to the early 1700s, when baroque naturalism was giving way to the lighter palette of the Rococo. Its colour harmony and tender modelling of the flesh recall the influence of Francesco de Mura, although the execution suggests it was painted by an anonymous artist inspired by his tonal refinements rather than a direct follower.

Executed in oil on a copper support—a precious, smooth surface favoured for small private devotionals and traditionally polished with pumice before priming—it has survived in good, stable condition.
Minor abrasions along the edges reflect its age, yet the paint layer is firmly attached and the pigments remain vibrant.