Saint Peter and Saint Andrew by Giuseppe Picano
On a recent visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art I was pleasantly surprised to discover two works by Giuseppe Picano: statuettes of the brother apostles, Saint Peter and Saint Andrew.
Originally there to view the terracotta model for a silver statue of Saint Vincent Ferrer attributed to the great Neapolitan sculptor Giuseppe Sanmartino (1720-1793) I couldn't help but notice Picano's adjoining work.
Located in the Museum's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department, the figures stand approximately 13 inches tall and are made of terracotta with traces of ground white wash. Each Saint, naturally posed, is draped with flowing robes and holds his own distinctive icon: St. Peter bears the key to the Kingdom of Heaven given to him by Christ, while St. Andrew, as a "fisher of men," carries fish.
Intended to be viewed from the front, the pair's backsides remain unfinished. They served as models for statues later carved by the Neapolitan sculptor Francesco Verzella (an apprentice of Picano) for the Chiesa dei Girolamini in Naples.
Giuseppe Picano was born in 1732 in Sant`Elia Fiumerapido in the Terra di Lavoro (now Frosinone) province of the Kingdom of Naples. He worked primarily in stucco and wood, excelling in the latter, and is best remembered for his half-length polychromed carving of Saint Joseph with the Christ Child. Picano was a follower of Giuseppe Sanmartino and like so many of the period’s top artists, he also modeled crèche figures for the Regno's wealthy patrons and religious orders.
Picano worked primarily in Naples and his hometown, adorning many churches with his sacred art. The exact date of his death is unknown, but its generally believed he died around 1810, although one source puts the date as late as 1825.
Saint Vincent Ferrer by Giuseppe Sanmartino*
The winged Saint, known as the "Apocalyptic Angel" for his fiery sermons, is depicted with flames above his head, symbolizing his divine gift of tongues.
(Photos courtesy of New York Scugnizzo)
[* Giuseppe Sanmartino, of course, is most famous for his Veiled Christ at the Museo Capella Sansevero in Naples. In my humble opinion, this relatively unknown masterpiece is one of the greatest works of art of all time, easily deserving the same adoration lavished on Michelangelo's more famous David and Pietà. Sanmartino will be featured at a future date.]
