AURELIANO MILANI (Bologna, 1675 – Rome, 1749)

This canvas of penitent St. Peter is a particularly eloquent example of the artistic maturity of Aureliano Milani and his firm adherence to the classicist tradition of the Bolognese school. The figure of the apostle, represented in a moment of introspection and repentance after the denial of Christ, imposes himself on the viewer through a powerful physical and psychological presence, achieved through a masterful use of chiaroscuro and a dense, warm and modulated brushstroke with remarkable sensitivity.