The Madonna of the Veil, 19th or early 20th century copy

After Carlo Dolci (1616-1687)

Italian

Oil on canvas

Original (c. 1630–1686), 27 x 34 in., is in the Galleria Corsini, Rome

St. Mary’s Hall, Boston College

“[S]ometimes he would take weeks over a single foot,” biographer Filippo Baldinucci wrote about Carlo Dolci’s painstaking painting process. Intensely religious, Dolci stated his “firm intention to paint only works that would inspire the fruits of Christian piety in those who saw them.” Dolci specialized in devotional works, although he also earned his international reputation through the refined and masterfully detailed portraits and still lifes he wrought for his sophisticated patrons. Dolci captured detail in lavish textiles, jewelry, and the face and hands. His work showed a keen appreciation for Northern painting, and he was probably influenced by the 16th-century Italian artists Agnolo Bronzino, Caravaggio, and Correggio.