Artwork
Parable of the Lost Drachma
Parable of the Lost Drachma is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Domenico Fetti. It dates from 1618 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1618 by the Italian Baroque painter Domenico Fetti, *Parable of the Lost Drachra* is an oil on canvas held by the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister. The work belongs to the early Baroque period and presents a quiet, interior scene that invites contemplation.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows a woman kneeling on the floor, candle in hand, searching the ground with focused attention. Her white skirt and red shirt contrast with the dim surroundings, suggesting a moment of personal loss or moral searching that echoes the biblical parable of a lost coin, here rendered as a drachma.
Technique & Style
Fetti employs chiaroscuro to model the figure, allowing the candlelight to illuminate the woman's face and the immediate floor while the periphery recedes into shadow. The soft modeling of flesh and the tactile rendering of fabrics reflect the early Baroque interest in naturalism and dramatic lighting.
History & Provenance
Painted while Fetti was active in Rome, Mantua, and Venice, the canvas entered the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister collection at an unspecified date. Its presence in the museum links the work to a broader acquisition of early Baroque Italian paintings that illustrate the period’s devotional genre.
Artist & collection
Artist
Domenico Fetti (also spelled Feti) (c. 1589 – 16 April 1623) was an Italian Baroque painter who was active mainly in Rome, Mantua and Venice.
