Man with Urine Bottle in his Hand
c. 1650 - c. 1674
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
71.5; 3.8; 60.9; 4.1
About this artwork
depth 4.1 cm
Art Historical Context
Antonio Zanchi, a Venetian Baroque painter active in the mid-17th century, created this intimate oil-on-canvas portrait between roughly 1650 and 1674. Measuring just over 70 by 60 centimeters, the work exemplifies the period’s interest in everyday subjects rendered with dramatic realism. Zanchi, influenced by Caravaggio’s tenebrism, often explored human figures with strong contrasts of light and shadow, drawing viewers into quiet, contemplative moments. The painting’s subject—a man holding a urine bottle—reflects the era’s medical practices, when uroscopy (examining urine for diagnosis) was a...
About the Artist
Antonio Zanchi
Antonio Zanchi (1631-1722) was an Italian Baroque painter who became one of Venice's most prominent artists during the late seventeenth century, known particularly for his dramatic large-scale religious canvases characterized by dynamic compositions, rich color, and intense emotional expression. Born in Este in the Veneto region, Zanchi established himself in Venice where he absorbed the city's gr...