Neoclassical Decorative Element Painting 18th Century

XVIII century

Under glass painting. Christ on the Cross and the Magdalene kneeling at his feet, naked and with long hair down according to the traditional iconography; on the ground near the Cross, a skull, traditional Memento mori, and an alabaster jar, the one containing the precious oil with which, according to the Gospel story, the Magdalene anointed the feet of Jesus as a sign of devotion in recognition of royalty. The painting is presented in a coeval wooden frame.

Oil on canvas. Landscape of Northern Italy, with large mountains covered in snow on the background, there is a small castle at their feet, and the wide river is in the foreground, with some fishermen on its shores. The painting has some paint losses and evident craquelure. It is presented in a frame in style.

Oil painting on canvas. Italian school of the seventeenth century. The depiction of the face of St. Peter is inspired by the homonymous work by Guido Reni, made around 1600, an intense representation of the disciple whose face expresses the anguish and repentance for having just denied Jesus, during the Passion, as narrated in the Gospels . The restored and relined work is presented in a period frame.

Oil painting on canvas. The Virgin Mary is gathered in a meditative attitude, with her hands folded to her chest, her eyes painful, devoid of any otherworldly aura, but rather emphasized in her very human maternal pain. Already relined, the painting shows small diffuse drops of color. It is proposed in a stylish frame.

Oil on cardboard. Hispanic school. The Spanish saint Domenico of Guzman (1170-1221), was a preacher and founder of the Order of Preaching Friars, also commonly associated with the Inquisition. Iconographically he is depicted with the white and black cloak of his order; in this representation of hand and popular taste, he also wears a sackcloth and stole, carries the monstrance with one hand, with the other holding a statue of the Virgin and Child, the themes of his preaching. The saint is located in a rural context: on both sides there are two churches, at his feet figures of peasants with herds, and of fishermen, a sign of the people to whom he preached. The painting is presented in a styled frame.

Group of 7 Etchings

Etchings. They are taken from the series "Mes gens ou Les commissionnaires ultramontains au service de qui veut les payer". The name of the artist who made the drawings is at the bottom left, the name of the engraver Tillard at the right. The first engraving in the series presents the title and an overall image of the tools used by the various commission agents; the other six engravings depict the individual characters carrying out different activities, carrying out commissions at home: one recognises the letter carrier, the musician, the carpenter. The engravings are presented in revival frames.

Drawings on rice paper. They represent four scenes of popular life without backgroun but just human figures with few elements that define the scene. One of the drawers has small missings. The drawings come in a Empire frame.

Gouaches on paper. The two small paintings offer Neapolitan views, identified by the inscriptions below: on the left, the eruption of Vesuvius in 1794, on the right, the entrance to the Grotte di Pozzuoli. Typical Grand Tour works, practically delicate and detailed postcards. They are presented in a single frame.

Episodes from the Life of John the Baptist

Five drawings mixed technique on paper, depicting scenes from the life of St. John the Baptist, as recounted in the Gospels (The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, the birth, the Baptism of Jesus, beheading, Salome presents the severed head to Herod). The back label specifies that the designs are copied from the cycle of the Chapel of St. John the Baptist in the famous Basilica of San Lorenzo in Genoa. In the frame.

Oil on canvas. Center-Italian School. The glimpse shows a river that flows fastlly crossing an hilly landscape; along the shore, at the left side, there are two women that are washing clothes and a wayfarer; on the right side of the river, in the background, ther is a small hamlet. The painting shows small drops of color. It comes in a 20th century frame that had been gilded again.

Oil painting on canvas. Portrait of a hunter, taken in a moment of rest, sitting under a tree, with the rifle leaning on his arm, the horn held in one hand, while with the other he caresses the head of the faithful dog, resting on his lap. The painting is presented in a coeval gilt frame.

Landscape with Mountains

Oil on wooden table. Signed lower right. On the back, the scroll of the "Salvetti Art Workshop" in Milan. Stefano Bersani, Lombard artist and poet, devoted himself to the painting of life, even the most humble and common; in fact, among his works, in addition to various Lombard landscapes, such as this one proposed which has the Alpine chain as a background, also scenes of the fields with figures of peasants, farm animals, folk figures. He participated in many competitions, exhibited in numerous Lombard galleries and was in great demand in noble houses, where he was also an interior painter. The work is presented in a contemporary frame.