Ancient Pendulum Clock '800-'900 Carved Wood Decorations - Europe Late 19th century - Early 20th century

Glimpse of the Country with Figures

Oil on wooden panel. Signed lower left. Vittore Antonio Cargnel, father of Lucio Cargnel, was mainly a landscape painter, author in particular of evocative views of Treviso and exciting glimpses of Friuli, his homeland. He is considered the spokesperson of intimate landscape painting, for his ability to freeze landscapes in the immediacy of atmospheric changes, often on small panels, so as not to miss the moment of a particular luministic condition responsible for the impression aroused in the artist. In this part of the town, the luminous contrast stands out between the square still dominated by the gray rain, highlighted by the umbrellas of passers-by - figures that are only indistinct spots, neutral elements of the landscape - and the light which, cutting through the clouds, illuminates and colours. the top of the buildings. The painting is presented in a contemporary frame.

Oil painting on canvas. The scene tells the biblical episode of the book of Exodus in which little Moses, whom his mother had entrusted to the river inside a basket to save him from the massacre of the Israeli male children (ordered by the Pharaoh of Egypt to prevent the Israeli population became too numerous and could rebel against slavery), he was found by a handmaid of Pharaoh's daughter, who decided to adopt him and saved him. The scene, set along the river, is entirely occupied by the female figures of the princely retinue, crowded together and projected towards the bottom right corner where the basket with the newborn is placed. All eyes are also turned towards the child, in the direction indicated by the outstretched arm of the woman in the foreground on the right. The roundness of the female forms stands out, especially of the three figures in the foreground, where plays of light and shadow highlight the complexions that emerge from the clothes. Restored and relined, the painting is presented in a 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.

Hunting Scene

Oil on canvas. Northern European school of the 18th century. The large scene, set in a Nordic landscape, with thick vegetation under impervious blue peaks, represents the culminating moment of a hunt for a fawn: the knight, who occupies the upper part of the scene, is spearing the prey, terrified and broken down in agony; all around the pack of dogs participates, running around the rider and the prey. Among all, the dog in the center at the bottom stands out, the only one with light fur: the intense brightness that it emanates and which brings out the accurate design of its fur, the moving muscles, the exalted expression of the animal, makes it they make the protagonist of the scene, drawing the gaze towards themselves, while all the other figures, including the knight, become the outline, accurate and precise but not the protagonist. It is precisely the accuracy in painting the animals that places the work close to the production of Philip Peter Roos, known as Rosa da Tivoli: originally from Frankfurt but then moved to Rome, where he remained until his death, this artist was very active above all as a painter of animals, shot in the foreground against landscape backgrounds and executed with rich color and intense light effects. The great success he had and the consequent very large production (sometimes to the detriment of the quality of the works), justify the frequent attribution to this painter of works with a subject and pictorial technique close to his, such as the one presented here, which however is not documented and validated. Restored and relined, the painting is presented in a late 19th century frame.

Italy, XX Century

Console in gilded and lacquered wood with faux marble top, under-top band moved like the legs and connecting crosspieces. 20th century Italy