Christ and the Samaritan Woman at the Well

Ippolito Scarsella, known as lo Scarsellino (1550-1620)
17th century, Oil on canvas

This painter’s oeuvre contains numerous copies after the major artists of 16th-century Ferrara, which is surprising as it includes works that were both found in churches, and thus publicly accessible, and works that were in ducal collections, accessible, therefore, only with the Este family's consent. We know that in the aftermath of Ferrara's return under direct control of the Papal State, i.e., in 1598, this process of copying was instigated by the Cardinal Legates themselves and those who had an interest in transferring the masterpieces of the Este Renaissance to Rome. There was therefore a strong awareness of the value of what was being taken away from Ferrara. The replicas executed by Bononi, Scarsellino and Bambini were comparatively less valuable than the originals by the great Renaissance masters.