Oil on Copper XVII Century

Oil painting on canvas. Northern Italian school of the seventeenth century. The two protagonists, kneeling Mary and the Archangel Gabriel, fill the scene, the background of which is just blurred in the divine light that radiates from the Holy Spirit descending from heaven. The only furnishing elements are the sewing basket and the ball on the floor, which brings back the humanity of Mary, while the angel holds the lily, symbol of purity, in his hand. Restored and relined, the painting has some small drops of color and marked cracking. It is presented in a gilded frame from the end of the 19th century.

Mixed technique on paper, applied on cardboard. Italian school. The name of Londonio is proposed on the back: the delicate piece certainly recalls the subject and manner of the work of Francesco Londonio (1723-1783), the Milanese artist who specialized in the animal and pastoral genre. It can be considered a work inspired by Londonio, by an artist close to his field.

Oil on canvas. The face of the Virgin reminds of the style of representation of Giovanni Battista Salvi, also known as Sassoferrato (1609-1685), whose style was often revived in 18th and 19th century. There is a cartouche on the back of the painting with the inventory number (N. 193) and the name of the collector Giuseppe Bertarelli (1804-1875), merchant and philanthropist from Milan, known for his important art donations to the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana. The painting is in its first canvas; needs restorations for small paint losses and two small holes. It is presented in a coeval frame.

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.

Painted under glass. The Magdalene is depicted in prayer before the Crucifix, naked and with her long hair down, attributes that characterize her. and with his hands over a skull, traditional Memento mori. The painting has slight color losses. The work is presented in a coeval frame, applied to a larger frame from the end of the 19th century.

Oil on canvas. Double monogram AL - LB and the year 1847 bottom left. Saint Francis in contemplation of the Cross in the rocky desert, turns his head in ecstasy towords the light above. The painting has a frame from the late 1800s.

Ink and watercolor on paper. Flemish School. On the back there is a lebel of a importantant private collection. The scketched drawing shows a view of a valley from a path on a hill that leads to a wood. Displayed in a revival frame.

Tempera on paper on etching. French school from about 1750-1770. Refined colouring of a coeval French print. The oriental subject is a young Chinese man who hints at some dance steps on an outdoor trail, under a plant of exotic fruit. The quality of the piece reminds of the French Rococo production, like those of François Boucher (1703-1770) or Jean Pillement (1728-1808), who both contributed to the spreading of the liking for Chinese representations in Europe. Pillement was the author of numerous drawings and etchings of Chinese taste, collected in two volumes (1767-71) and widely spread in Europe as models. The drawing needs cleaning and restoration. It is mounted on cardboard and comes with a frame.

Oil on board. The scene takes place in a wide desert landscepe with a cave where Magdalene was living praying and meditating; the Saint is in the center of the scene and she is in extasis in font of the crucified Chris and a skull placed on a rock outside the wide cave. The painting had been restored and displayed in frame.

The Birth Of Venus

Pen and brown ink drawing on paper. Writing on the back from the early '900 that describes the drawing as preparatory for decors and glass windows. There is also a paper label from a historic private collection. It is one of the first preparatory sketches for the scene of "The Birth of Venus", of which we know later sketches, expanded and enriched with more details. The sketch is presented in a XIX century frame.

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.

The Triumph Of Minerva

Watercolor on paper, oval format. The bill of acquisition from a Finarte auction from 13/12/1971 is attached on the back with an attribution to the Carlo Carloni circle. There is also a paper label of origin from an important private collection. The watercolor is a preparatory sketch, probably for one of the many decorative frescoes executed by Carlo Carloni, a painter from Como, in the European courts. The drawing, mounted on cardboard, is presented in a frame.