Madonna of the Rosary

the sacred
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about the sacredMary, placed in the middle of the work, sitting on a cloud, is giving a light blue rosary to Saint Dominic. Next to him, a black and white dog is holding a lit torch lit in its mouth. Baby Jesus is placing a thorn crown on the head of Saint Catherine, with the help of an angel.
Behind Saint Dominic we can see Saint Philip Neri wearing his peculiar mantle and showing his typical expression as codified in 1615, the year of his beatification. Since then the saint has been painted this way, particularly after his canonization in 1622. Next to him appears Saint Francis of Sales who was canonized in 1665 recognisable by the features of his face and the bishop’s cross on his chest.
The third and last saint is arduous to identify, but he may be Saint Rocco, because, despite the fact that his typical iconographic attributes are missing, the wound on his thigh looks like having been caused by the plague.

Countess Torelli
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about CountessBehind the Saint, appear Countess Ludovica Torelli, Saint Catherine of Alexandria, identified through her iconographic features such as the wheel and the palm of martyrdom and finally Mary Magdalene, recognisable both for the long blonde hair falling on her shoulders and for the ampoule of oil near her feet. This reminds of the episode when she sprinkled Jesus’ feet with a perfumed unguent, as described in the Gospel of John (Jn. 12, 1-8). The presence of the Countess, on the right side of the work, puts in evidence the fact that the painting was directly commissioned by Collegio della Guastalla.

Curiosity
The origin of the iconography of Madonna of the Rosary is linked to the apparition of Mary to Saint Dominic in 1208; Pope Gregory XIII officially established to celebrate this event on the 7th October.