The Ecstasy of Mary Magdalen with angels playing music

A study for a picture on copper executed by Franceschini in 1680 and now in the Molinari-Pradelli collection in Bologna, R. Roli, Pittura Bolognese dal Cignani ai Gandolfi, Bologna, 1977, fig. 119b. That picture was painted along with a pendant of The Last Communion of Saint Mary of Egypt from the Hermit Zosimus sold in the Sir John Pope-Hennessy sale at Christie's New York, 10 January 1996, lot 103. Giampietro Zanotti in his Storia dell'Accademia Clementina da Bologna published in 1739 mentioned the two pictures and added that they were bought by the Bolognese senate to be donated to Pope Clement XI Albani, elected in 1709. The negotiations for the donation were conducted by the Bolognese ambassador to the Papal court Filippo Aldrovandi. The Pope was reluctant to engage in any transaction which might be construed as involving self-interest. Apparently, however on viewing the paintings, the Pope was so overcome by their beauty that he relented and accepted the gift.
Dal Sole painted a copy of the Ecstasy of Mary Magdalen probably for Aldovrandi. He later gave the picture to Prince Neri Corsini.