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The Organ-Grinder

Oil painting on canvas. Signed lower right. Trace of a date, not readable. The Cuneo artist Ottavio Steffanini had a life in constant movement, divided between Italy, Europe, America (in particular Venezuela). A restless and unpredictable artist, he concentrated his painting above all on female figures, portrayed with placid sensuality and an opulence influenced by the Spanish masters with whom he studied. But in his production there is no shortage of other subjects, united by an incessant exaltation of life, of nature. Here, however, a male figure is proposed, a half-length portrait of an accordion player, dignified and proud in his pose and gaze. The work is presented in a period frame.

Oil painting on canvas. In the composition, a woman with her child, in ancient clothes and flanked by an ox, kneeling on steep ground, stretch their arms upwards in an act of supplication or perhaps contemplation: it could be an interpretation of Mary who accompanies Baby Jesus to contemplate his destiny, with the ox which refers to the birth and simple pastoral life of the Holy Family. Restored and relined, the painting shows several traces of color loss. It is presented in a stylish frame.

Oil painting on canvas. The painting offers a half-length portrait of a young man who, in deshabillé, is lighting his pipe by drawing fire with a stick from the candle placed in front of him, on the table where a sword is also placed: perhaps it is a young knight in a moment of rest. It is precisely the candle, the only source of light in the scene, which suggests that the artist looked to the production of Georges De La Tour (1593 -1652), the French painter of the Caravaggio style who established himself for his "nocturnal" scenes, characterized by figures, usually low-ranking people rather than historical models or high-ranking figures, illuminated by the light of a candle, to create a special atmosphere of intimacy. The painting, restored and relined, is presented in a period frame.

Oil painting on canvas. Southern Italian school of the 17th-18th centuries. The scene, full of characters, sees the figure of a leader standing at the centre, well defined in the details of the armour, the crest, as well as the anatomy: he is benevolently accompanying with the movement of his arms a kneeling man who, together to his companion, he is paying homage to an emperor, however indicating with his outstretched hand the group of six children, held back on the right by soldiers. The emperor has risen from the throne, on the left, and goes to meet the prostrate couple, but he too seems almost in an attitude of reverence towards the central leader. The scene seems to refer to a historical episode of clemency of a leader, who due to his age, features and type of armour, could be Alexander the Great, a character who, however, is difficult to match with the other figure crowned with laurel, who descends from the throne in the sumptuous palace . It is therefore not possible to specifically identify the episode (historical or legendary?) of reference. Furthermore, the compositional richness of the scene is appreciated, with numerous well-detailed figures and bright colors to underline its dynamism. The work, restored and relined, is presented in an antique frame.

Oil painting on canvas. Northern European school of the 18th century. Caratacus was a Celtic king of the Catuvellauni tribe of Britons and leader of the anti-Roman resistance and famous as a freedom fighter. For eight years he resisted the Roman invasion of Britain starting in 43 AD. For eight years he was the most wanted man in the Roman Empire, hunted relentlessly, from fight to fight, from fortress to fortress, in the mountains of Wales, until he was not betrayed and handed over to the Romans in 51 AD by Cartimandua, queen of the Yorkshire Brigands, to whom he had turned for help. Defeated, he was brought in chains to Rome with his entire family: brought before the emperor, the British king spoke with such wisdom and pride (with the speech reported by Tacitus in his Annales) that Claudius, struck by his words, granted the grace to him, his wife and brothers, allowing them to spend the rest of their days in Rome. The painting presents the moment of Caratacus' peroration, at the center of the scene in chains, fervently pleading his case before the emperor: he is sitting on his throne, flanked by his wife and surrounded by senators and soldiers. The painting, restored and relined at the end of the 19th century, has slight damage.

Oil painting on canvas. The scene, outdoors at the foot of a slope, shows two female figures slumped over and behind them a pilgrim, with the traditional staff and shells on his cloak. The woman in the foreground holds a rosary in one hand, and a sleeping child lies on her lap. The scene brings to mind a moment of sorrowful and contemplative prayer. The painting, already restored and relined, has several drops of color and stains. It is presented in a stylish frame.

Oil on canvas. Mid 19th century. The large scene tells an unidentified historical episode, set in the Renaissance period, in which an archbishop listens to the plea of a young man in arms, accompanied by his mother, who supports his plea. The setting is inside the reception hall of the high prelate, presumably in the bishop's palace, which from the loggia in the background overlooks the Cathedral, whose dome can be glimpsed; the bishop is surrounded by his subordinates and guards, while different people of the people attend. Particular is the presence of the man sitting in the foreground on the left, who looks towards the viewer and points to the scene, as if he were telling it. The atmosphere is played on the contrasts between lights and shadows, between the bright colors of the dominant characters compared to the dull and suffused tones of the surrounding figures, who literally tend to disappear into the shadows at the limits of the scene. The work is part of that large nineteenth-century production that drew on the historical or literary subject, re-proposing it in a romantic key. The painting, restored and relined, is presented in an important frame from the second half of the 19th century, with some shortcomings.

Oil painting on canvas. Northern European school of the early 19th century. The painting, according to nineteenth-century taste, aims to propose more of a genre scene than a landscape: in the foreground, in a barren countryside landscape with traces of snow, the figures of a small family descending from a sort of sleigh stand out. made of wood, filled with straw and pulled by a horse. Restored and relined, the painting is presented in a gilded wooden frame in style, with several defects.

Oil painting on canvas. Northern European school of the early 19th century. The painting, according to nineteenth-century taste, aims to propose more of a genre scene than a landscape: in fact, two figures stand out in the foreground, a man who is fishing with a line and a net, and a woman who looks at him sitting on a rock overlooking on the water, anxious about the outcome of the fishing, which will presumably guarantee the couple's meal. The surrounding landscape is that of a rocky coastal stretch, in a sea inlet overlooking a town on the other shore; a boat sails in the sea, of another you can only see the flagpole behind the rock. Restored and relined, the painting is presented in a period frame, with several defects.

Oil on panel. Northern European school of the late 19th century. In the composition inside a shed, hunted game lies on a level; on the left the muzzle of the hunting dog appears but is turned towards a nest full of chirping birds, located above the shaft of the carriage seen on the right. The painting is presented in a period frame.

Glimpse of the Cloister of the Dome of Monreale

Mixed technique, with canvas, wooden panels, metal threads, small beads, etc. At the bottom center is the artist's name, unidentified. It is a three-dimensional and perspective reconstruction of the cloister of the Monreale Cathedral, with the fountain in the foreground. The work is presented in a display case with a gilded frame from the early 1900s.

Disciple of Peter Paul Rubens

Oil on canvas. The painting derives from the work by Rubens (1577 -1640) conserved in the Prado Museum in Madrid, reproduced as a counterpart in engraving by Paulus Pontius (1603 -1658), as also appears in this version. Occupying the vertical centre of the scene is the figure of Mary, whose face was inspired by that of Isabel Brandt, the Flemish painter's first wife, who died in1626 at the age of just 35. The Madonna holds the Child Jesus in her arms, who looks tenderly but seriously into her eyes, while a small hand rests on his mother's uncovered breast, from which he has just received nourishment; behind, standing, St. Anne wraps the shoulders of her daughter and grandson in a tender and protective embrace, smiling complacently: On the left side, somewhat separated and in the dark, Joseph watches pensively and worriedly: the only human figure who does not fit into the light emanating from the Child's face, radiating on Mary's and, by reflection, also on St. Anne's. Compared to the master's work, the composition of the figures is respected, but several details vary, particularly in the clothing of St. Anne, Mary, and the drapery that encircles the Child's hips, supporting the hypothesis that it is the work of a follower of the Flemish master. The painting, restored and re-tinted, is in good condition, with only a scratch in the colour in the top centre.

Oil painting on canvas. Central Italian school of the 17th century. The unusual and particular representation presents on the left the three figures of the Holy Family, with Jesus already a child, sitting at the table and blessing the simple meal they are about to consume (consisting of fruit and bread); the scene, a subject depicted rather rarely and generally with a more sacred character due to the presence of angels serving food to the family, here instead has the flavor of very normal and simple domestic intimacy. Instead, everything around the Holy Family stands out majestically, the glimpse of a Renaissance city, with tall buildings with loggias and colonnades, presented according to a beautiful perspective effect which leads, at the bottom on the right, to the entrance walls of a richly turreted city, probably Jerusalem. Restored and relined, the painting is presented in a late 19th century frame.

Chromolithography on paper, enriched by silver metal applications that define the halos of the Virgin and Child. The oval lithograph is also placed in a display case which is also exquisitely enriched with silver and gilded metal inserts, which define further frames with purely floral motif decorations. The representation presents the Madonna holding the rosary crown in her hand and the Baby Jesus in her arms, flanked on the sides by two saints of the Dominican order. The further frame with glass is made of wood with golden carvings.

Oil painting on canvas. Northern European school of the late 19th century. Unidentified signature lower right. The portrait presents a child in a maritime context: he is sitting on a rock on a beach, by the sea, he is dressed like a sailor and is holding a small toy sailing ship in his hand. The child is rather prim and serious. The painting has slight tears in the canvas and color stains. It is presented in an imposing late 19th century frame, with several missing and damaged plaster decorations.

Attributed to Domenico Lupini

Oil on canvas. The painting depicts an episode from Roman mythology relating to the young Roman heroine Clelia, who was given as a hostage, along with other maidens, to the Etruscan king Porsenna during peace negotiations with the city; Clelia managed to escape, however, by swimming across the Tiber. Porsenna demanded her return to the Romans, who agreed, but admiring her heroism, he decided to free her by allowing her to take other prisoners with her, whom Clelia chose from among the younger ones. The moment depicted in the painting is that of the crossing of the river, the personification of which is in the foreground on the right, in the figure of the canine old man, accompanied by a young woman with a cornucopia. The scene is very dynamic, with Clelia and the other maidens creating a dense and animated group around the horse ridden by the protagonist, as some versions of the story recall; behind them are the tents of the Etruscan king's camp with some soldiers. On the other side of the river is another group of women who have already made the crossing, while in the background is the classical-looking Capitoline city. The work, as a small cartouche attests, is attributed to Domenico Lupini, an artist about whom not much is known but whose sphere of activity can be assumed to have been between Bergamo and Venice. The only two signed works are a 'Converted Magdalene' and an 'Annunciation', but other works have been attributed to him by scholar Federica Nurchis and are located in the monastery of Santa Chiara in Bergamo. The painting presents a warm and refined chromatism that, together with the elegance of the characters and the compositional mode, suggest Lucini's Venetian sojourn, which seems to recall the atmospheres of Tintoretto, Veronese and Palma il Giovane. The painting shows signs of restoration and retouching.

Oil painting on canvas. Italian school of the 17th century. The large composition presents a variety of foods on a kitchen table: on the left a large wicker basket full of vegetables, surmounted by a group of hanging fish; other vegetables are placed on the table top, next to a plate of cherries, one with a loaf of bread, and further back another with prawns; on the right stands a vase full of colorful flowers and, sitting on the shelf of a cupboard, a black cat calmly licking its paw. The sharpness of the colors stands out, enhanced by the reflections of light on some foods, such as cherries or prawns, and on the copper jug ​​in front of the flowers. The painting, restored and relined, is presented in a strip frame.