Giuseppe Mazzolini, after Paris Bordone (Italian, 1500 – 1571)
Italian, 1806 – 1876
Saint George Killing the Dragon
1856
oil on canvas
96.5 x 63.5 cm
©Government of Ontario Art Collection, Archives of Ontario
Mazzolini was an Italian painter who made his living making copies of existing masterworks, often for sale to travellers from abroad. He made this copy after a 1525 original by Paris Bordone currently in the collection of the Vatican Museum. Bordone greatly admired the artist Giorgione and this work is clearly inspired by his style. In fact, Mazzolini’s copy is mistakenly listed in the purchaser's ledger as being “after Giorgione”. The Western version of the Saint George legend tells of a dragon that built its nest at the mouth of a spring near a village. Each day, in order to collect water, the villagers had to tempt the dragon away from its nest. If no sheep could be found, lots were drawn and a maiden was sent to be the dragon’s prey. One day the village princess’s lot was drawn. St. George, protected by the sign of the cross, rescued the princess from the dragon, leading the grateful villagers to convert to Christianity.