Elena Recco (Naples, 1654–1700) Attributed to Pair of still lifes with fish Oil on canvas 72 x 96 cm. Framed: 85 x 108 cm. Provenance: Finarte, Milan, October 23, 2007, lot 517, Estimate: €18,000 – €20,000 (page 189 of the catalog) Ponte, Milan, June 9, 2009, lot 144, Estimate: €15,000 – €16,000 https://www.ponteonline.com/en/lot-details/auction/261/lot/144/?utm_source=mutualart&utm_medium=... A refined pair of still lifes depicting compositions of fish, crustaceans, and catch arranged within a shadowy setting, with a wide panoramic view in the background. The works stand out for their evocative use of light, playing on deep chiaroscuro contrasts, and for the careful naturalistic rendering of the various fish species, characterized by brilliant silvery reflections and remarkable textural quality. The canvases, which show clear affinities with the Neapolitan still-life tradition that developed between the late 17th and early 18th centuries, are traditionally attributed to Elena Recco (Naples 1654 – Madrid 1715), one of the most important female painters of the Neapolitan school, renowned for her extraordinary expertise in still lifes of fish. Following in her father’s footsteps—her father was the famous master Giuseppe Recco—she developed a unique personal style that makes her works easily recognizable to art experts. The theatrical arrangement of the catch, the dark, Baroque-inspired atmosphere, and the rendering of light on the surfaces evoke the tradition established by her family, within which Elena developed a personal painterly sensibility, highly regarded in the aristocratic collections of Naples and Rome. A close look at the two works under consideration here allows us to identify all the distinctive characteristics of the artist’s oeuvre: to achieve the chromatic rendering of the scales, her compositions feature typical gray-blue hues, while the bodies of the fish shimmer with silvery and metallic reflections, rendered with a textured paint application; In her paintings, the fish with their shimmering scales and the details of the catch stand out dramatically against dark, atmospheric backgrounds, creating that characteristic dramatic contrast derived precisely from the tradition of the Southern Caravaggist school. The quality of her work earned her an invitation from the Spanish king to move to the court in Madrid in 1695—an honor granted only to established artists—where she worked to great acclaim and received important commissions. Today, her paintings can be found in renowned collections such as the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, the National Museum in Warsaw, and in the Federico Zeri Foundation’s catalog. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The images were taken in a professional photography studio; therefore, the paintings may appear darker when not illuminated. The paintings come complete with two attractive gilded frames and are accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet. We handle and arrange the shipping of purchased works, both within Italy and internationally, using professional, insured carriers. If you would like to view this or other works in person, we would be delighted to welcome you to our new gallery in Riva del Garda, located at Viale Giuseppe Canella 18. We look forward to seeing you! Please contact us for any information or to schedule a visit; we’ll be happy to assist you. Follow us on: https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/

Andrea del Sarto (Florence, 1486 – Florence, 1531) Workshop Saint Sebastian Oil on oval panel 69 x 90 cm. – Framed 105 x 84 cm. FULL DETAILS OF THE PAINTING (CLICK HERE) The Saint Sebastian depicted in this splendid painting faithfully reproduces, in great detail, the famous composition created in 1529 by the Florentine master Andrea del Sarto, originally conceived as an altarpiece for the Compagnia di San Sebastiano in Florence. The work is now known as ‘Saint Sebastian Medici’ due to its historical association with the Medici family’s collection. Unlike traditional 15th-century depictions, in which the saint is shown tied to a stake and pierced by numerous arrows, here his body is unharmed and shows no wounds, the focus being on a purely spiritual dimension. The saint’s attributes are reduced to the bare essentials: two arrows in his right hand, held with grace, and the palmette of martyrdom in his left, which divide the pictorial space, drawing attention to the palpable ascetic tension of his face, with his eyes turned upwards in divine contemplation. The saint is idealised in a youthful beauty, through which his state of ecstasy shines through, conveying to the viewer an example of absolute devotion and faith: his depiction transcends physical pain and elevates him to a figure of spiritual triumph. The bare, hairless torso highlights taut, well-defined and classical musculature, emerging from the depths of the darkness below and illuminated by a raking light, typical of the anatomical studies of the High Renaissance and the Mannerist influences reminiscent of Michelangelo. The light falls on the right shoulder and neck, creating a soft contrast with the shadow enveloping the left side of the body and the background – a stylistic device derived from Leonardo’s ‘sfumato’ technique, which Andrea del Sarto had mastered. His gaze is fixed upwards, framed by a flowing head of curly hair, and his lean yet harmonious, almost ephebe-like nude, with a posture that is both proud and at ease, evokes the image of Raphael’s David. This is a work of great devotional impact, the composition of which is well-documented thanks to various contemporary copies and derivations of the highest quality, such as the one presented here. The documented examples are as follows **: (1) Andrea del Sarto (follower) – Saint Sebastian – Musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen (2) Andrea del Sarto (in the manner of) – Saint Sebastian – Spedale degli Innocenti, Florence (3) Andrea del Sarto (workshop) – Saint Sebastian – Christie’s auction, London, 6 April 1984, lot 2 (4) Andrea del Sarto (circle) – Saint Sebastian – Oil on panel, 93.5 × 61 cm – Christie’s auction, Paris, 26 June 2002, lot 29 The evident quality of our painting suggests it is attributable to a talented painter from the Tuscan school who was unquestionably still active in the sixteenth century, and therefore a contemporary of Andrea del Sarto: this is not a later imitation but a work executed during the Master’s own lifetime, presumably by an artist associated with his prestigious workshop. Although it is not easy to identify the hand of a particular artist within the master’s prolific school, the painting in question occupies a place of great prominence due to its noble Florentine craftsmanship, which is evident in the confidence of the drawing, the mastery of anatomical structure, the plasticity of the figure and the delicate, dreamlike quality of the saint’s expression—all of which make it a highly interesting work. The attention to the realistic details of facial features and emotions, the skilful use of light and shadow, and the profound understanding and reinterpretation of the models of Italian Renaissance painting are the characteristics we find in this fine example. ** (1) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Andrea_del_Sarto_(da)_-_San_Sebastiano_che_tiene_due_frecce_... (2) https://catalogo.beniculturali.it/detail/HistoricOrArtisticProperty/0900071707 (3) https://catalogo.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/scheda/opera/39616/ (4) https://catalogo.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/scheda/opera/112095/ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The painting comes with an attractive gilded frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet. We arrange and organise the transport of purchased works, both within Italy and abroad, using professional, insured carriers. Should you wish to view this or other works in person, we would be delighted to welcome you to our new gallery in Riva del Garda, at Viale Giuseppe Canella 18. We look forward to seeing you! Please contact us for any further information or to arrange a visit; we’ll be happy to assist you. Follow us on: https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/

Maarten de Vos (Antwerp, 1532–1603) workshop Christ Expelled from the Temple in Jerusalem (Or The Stoning of Christ) Oil on canvas 109 x 86 cm. Framed: 121 x 97 cm. FULL DETAILS OF THIS PAINTING (CLICK HERE) Anyone passionate about ancient works of art, especially religious painting, cannot help but be enchanted by this precious painting with its undoubtedly unusual subject matter, depicting a rare biblical episode narrated in the Gospel of John (John 10:22–39), centered on the fierce theological clash between Jesus—after he had openly proclaimed his divine nature—and a group of Jews. Going into more detail about the episode, the scene takes place during the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah), when Jesus, at Solomon’s Portico in the Temple in Jerusalem, is approached by some Jews to whom he proclaims: “I and the Father are one,” perhaps the most powerful and significant passage in the entire New Testament. These words of Jesus are considered blasphemous by the Jews present, who, deeply enraged, pick up stones and attempt to stone him inside the Temple, forcing him to flee to safety. Christ’s statement thus causes such a scandal that it provokes violent reactions, foreshadowing what will be his final condemnation; we see him walking resolutely toward the exit; he turns back with a serene yet firm, almost regal expression, effectively revealing his divine nature. The detail in the lower left is beautiful: there is a female figure with her arms raised, her gaze turned upward in a supplicating expression, with long, wavy hair. She could be Mary Magdalene, who, although not mentioned in this episode, will play a key role in the moments immediately preceding and following Jesus’ death, emerging as the most faithful and courageous disciple. This work, in particular, is based on an engraving by Jan Sadeler (Brussels, 1550 – Venice, 1600, from 1582), which in turn was based on a composition by the Flemish painter Marten de Vos (Fig. 1, https://patrimonioculturale.regione.fvg.it/stampa/?s_id=537940 )**. At the bottom of the print is a Latin caption taken from the Gospel of John: "Judaei, CHRISTVM, ob annuntiatam ipsis veritatem, in templo lapidare conantur, ipse autem de medio eorum exivit. IOAN. X." (The Jews, because of the truth he proclaimed, sought to stone Christ in the temple, but he went out from among them). Our painting, in keeping with the typical characteristics of the Dutch Mannerist style, features muscular figures in dynamic poses and complex foreshortening, characterized by a crowded composition, strong dynamism, and a dramatic use of chiaroscuro. The style of the work shows close affinities with the compositions of Maarten de Vos (Antwerp, 1532 –1603), who skillfully blended traditional Flemish taste with the characteristics of the Italian Renaissance, inherited from his apprenticeship in the workshop of Frans Floris and his travels in Italy. The remarkable quality of the work, characterized by a soft painterly rendering and an intense color palette, suggests that it was likely created within the master’s workshop, that is, under his direction and possibly with his own involvement, given the technical mastery in the brushwork and the use of light. Alternatively, it is possible that the work was created by a skilled painter belonging to the large group of students and followers active in Antwerp toward the end of the sixteenth century and strongly influenced by de Vos—in which case, the work was inspired by the etching by Jan Sadeler I (Brussels, 1550 – Venice, 1600). ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The painting comes with an attractive frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet. We arrange and organize the shipping of purchased works, both within Italy and abroad, using professional and insured carriers. If you would like to view this or other works in person, we would be delighted to welcome you to our new gallery in Riva del Garda, located at Viale Giuseppe Canella 18. We look forward to seeing you! Please contact us for any information or to schedule a visit; we’ll be happy to assist you. Follow us on: https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/

Michael Coxie (Mechelen, 1499 – Mechelen, 1592) Workshop of Christ Carrying the Cross Oil on panel 85 x 57 cm. – framed 112 x 85 cm. DETAILS OF THE PAINTING (CLICK HERE) The painting on offer, by an artist from the workshop of the famous Flemish master Michael Coxie (Mechelen, 1499 – Mechelen, 1592), reinterprets one of the great master’s famous compositions. Coxie brilliantly tackled this classic subject of religious painting on numerous occasions, rendering its dramatic style through a skillful interplay of light and shadow. Specifically, it is a remarkable interpretation of Christ Carrying the Cross, immortalized in a moment of profound and dramatic suffering as he embraces and supports the heavy wooden cross on his journey to Mount Calvary; after enduring the mockery and torture of his tormentors, he is burdened with the weight of the cross and sets out on the ascent to Calvary, where he will meet his death. Although this is an iconographic motif that traditionally depicts a dramatic moment of the Passion—one that focuses attention on Christ’s sufferings—we see him here portrayed without the slightest sign of the torture he endured, except for the crown of thorns on his head. His body appears strong and healthy; he does not buckle under the weight of the cross, and his face bears a pensive and resigned expression. The painting draws, albeit with modifications, on the model of Christ Carrying the Cross created around 1555 by Coxie and now housed at the Museo de Bellas Artes in Valencia (fig. 1) The work is strongly influenced by Italian classicism —Coxie, in fact, spent many years in Rome, earning the nickname the “Flemish Raphael”—combining Nordic precision in drapery and skin tones with a profound, monumental expressiveness. There are several versions and contemporary copies of this powerful composition attributed to the artist and his workshop, some depicting only Christ with the cross, others with additional figures, held in major international collections and museums. Among these, we can mention: - M. Coxie, Christ Carrying the Cross, Lázaro Galdiano Museum, Madrid (fig. 2), https://rkd.nl/images/272117 - M. Coxie (attributed), Christ Carrying the Cross, Utrecht, Museum Catharijneconvent (fig. 3), https://rkd.nl/images/59999 - M. Coxie (circle), Christ Carrying the Cross, Utrecht, Museum Catharijneconvent (Fig. 4), https://rkd.nl/images/28204 - M. Coxie, Christ Carrying the Cross, Private collection, Brussels (Fig. 5), https://rkd.nl/images/271911 —M. Coxie (circle), Christ Carrying the Cross, Bonhams, London (July 11, 2001, lot 31) (Fig. 6), https://rkd.nl/images/107863 - M. Coxie (attrib.), Christ Carrying the Cross, Christie’s, New York (May 22, 2024, lot 75) (fig. 7), https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/master-paintings/christ-carrying-the-cross ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The painting is set in a lovely antique frame and comes with a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet. We arrange and organize the shipping of purchased works, both within Italy and internationally, using professional and insured carriers. If you would like to view this or other works in person, we would be delighted to welcome you to our new gallery in Riva del Garda, located at Viale Giuseppe Canella 18. We look forward to seeing you! Please contact us for any information or to schedule a visit; we’ll be happy to assist you. Follow us on: https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/

Godfrey Kneller (Lübeck 1646 – London 1723) workshop Portrait of William Congreve (1670–1729) English playwright and poet of the Restoration period Oil on canvas 76 x 64 cm - Framed 94 x 82 cm FULL DETAILS (CLICK HERE) This fine portrait, exquisitely executed and in excellent condition, depicts an elegant gentleman wearing a refined ochre-colored satin jacket, which covers a shirt whose cuff peeks out from the sleeve, while a long, finely knotted white fabric cravat stands out around his neck, creating a sharp chromatic contrast with the warm tones of his attire. On his head is a majestic wig known as the ‘alla sovrana’ style, with long curls falling over his shoulders, an undisputed symbol of European Baroque fashion between the second half of the 17th century and the early 18th century. With a direct and serene gaze directed at the viewer, the portrait captures all the grace and sense of confidence of the subject. Her left hand, delicately resting on her chest and partially tucked into the folds of her jacket, displays a classic gesture of portraiture from the era, a symbol of composure, elegance, and high social rank. The subject is set within a faux oval gold frame, a compositional device widely used in Baroque art to focus attention on the figure’s face. His expression, outlined by a delicate, barely perceptible smile, aligns with the pictorial convention of the era, which required painters to allude to emotions without making them explicit—and thus vulgar. This is a valuable work which, based on its stylistic characteristics, we can readily attribute to the English painter Godfrey Kneller (Lübeck 1646 – London 1723) or to a skilled artist active within his extensive academy. Among his most faithful assistants and students, who replicated his portraits, we can mention Robert Byng and Edward Byng, John Vanderbank, and Edward Alcock. Kneller became the official court painter of England and is considered, along with Peter Lely and Willem Wissing, one of the masters of English portraiture between the 17th and 18th centuries: he painted every reigning British monarch from King Charles II to King George I, as well as the most important figures in British society and public life. Although there are no inscriptions attesting to the identity of the subject, based on a comparison with other portraits of the period, we are inclined to recognize the features and facial characteristics of William Congreve (Yorkshire, 1670 – London 1729)**, one of the most important English playwrights and poets of the Restoration, and immortalized by Kneller on several occasions at various stages of his life. World-renowned for writing some of the most brilliant and satirical comedies of manners in British literature, including *The Way of the World*, a masterpiece of biting social criticism, he was undoubtedly considered an influential figure of his time. **Godfrey Kneller Portrait of William Congreve National Portrait Gallery, London ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The work is accompanied by an elegant gilded frame, a certificate of authenticity, and a descriptive iconographic sheet. We handle and arrange the transport of purchased works, both within Italy and internationally, using professional and insured carriers. You can also view the painting at our gallery in Riva del Garda; we would be delighted to welcome you and show you our collection of works. Please feel free to contact us for any additional information. Follow us on: https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/

Guido Reni (Bologna 1575–1642) workshop Ecce Homo oil on canvas 59 x 47 cm. - framed (defects and minor losses) 76 x 66 cm. Provenance: The reverse bears the label “J. A. Butti & Son,” a historic art and antiques gallery based in Edinburgh (7 Queen Street), active between the 19th and early 20th centuries. Notes: An interesting detail on the reverse is the wax seal of the Administration of the Royal Revenues of Florence, an important governmental body of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany active between 1786 and 1846, charged with managing assets confiscated by the State. Beginning in 1786, Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo (and subsequently the French government during the Napoleonic era) decreed the suppression of numerous monasteries and convents, and all the paintings, panels, and valuable artistic assets of these structures were inventoried and marked on the reverse with this seal to certify state ownership before being sold. The work on offer, depicting the intense image of Christ crowned with thorns, draws on the iconography of the Ecce homo conceived by Guido Reni (Bologna 1575–1642), one of his most moving compositions, a subject so celebrated in the artist’s career as to attest to the enormous success he achieved. It is undoubtedly one of the masterpieces of Reni’s painting, bringing to light an immortal and ideal beauty, a work in which the ideal and poetic grandeur of his creative genius reached its highest and unsurpassable level. The figure of Christ is shown in a half-length portrait against a light background, wearing the crown of thorns, a symbol of royalty bestowed upon him by the soldiers to mock him during his imprisonment. By focusing here on the face of Christ, with his mouth slightly open and his eyes turned upward, Reni was able to create a prototype of this composition that is still very well known today, and which was later replicated by his workshop in numerous variations, each with slight differences from the others. The closest iconographic parallels can be found with the Ecce Homo housed at the Louvre Museum (Fig. 1, URL: https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010060765), the painting in the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden (Fig. 2, URL: https://skd-online-collection.skd.museum/Details/Index/356046), as well as with the one in the Corsini Gallery in Rome (Fig. 3) and the National Art Gallery of Bologna (Fig. 4). The canvas reveals the artist’s ability to portray not only the physical but also the psychological description of Christ, who, with his gaze turned upward, appears physically and emotionally exhausted and suffering. Nevertheless, his image is imbued with an indescribable grace, enhanced by the refinement of the palette and a soft, enveloping luminosity. Regarding our version, it is a work executed with such painterly precision that its authorship can be traced to one of the many painters active in the 17th century who gravitated toward Reni’s circle, or to one of his followers active in the period immediately following. In Rome, as in Bologna, Reni always had many students, managing one of the largest and most productive workshops in Europe to meet the large number of commissions. His academy is said to have had no fewer than two hundred students at any given time: among Reni’s pupils, the most famous are Gessi, Simone Contarini, Andrea Sirani and his daughter Elisabetta, Semenza, Domenico Maria Canuti, and Cignani. A characteristic of almost all the work by these students is a soft, delicate, and fragile painting style. CONDITION: The work is in very good condition; the paint layer shows no issues, with scattered minor retouches typical of the period. The work comes with a beautiful carved and gilded wooden frame, in fair overall condition, with some defects and missing parts. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet. We handle and arrange the shipping of purchased works, both within Italy and internationally, using professional and insured carriers. You can also view the painting at our gallery in Riva del Garda; we would be delighted to welcome you and show you our collection of works. Please feel free to contact us for any additional information. Follow us on: https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/

Workshop of Alessandro Bonvicino, known as Il Moretto (Brescia, c. 1498 – 1554) Saint Jerome Oil on canvas 85 x 68 In frame 100 x 82 cm. Full details of the work (click HERE) A fine portrait of Saint Jerome, Doctor of the Church who lived between the 4th and 5th centuries, immortalised here in the typical iconography that shows him in his dual role as a penitent hermit in the desert and a humanist intent on reading, in a deserted and wild landscape. This multifaceted figure of Saint Jerome was very popular in Lombardy between the 15th and 16th centuries, a supreme example of the harmony between classical knowledge and Christian virtue. He therefore became a subject dear to a refined and cultured public, often illustrated in small works intended for private devotion. We see him with an intense and thoughtful gaze, turned towards the crucifix, his canonical iconographic attribute and symbol of his penance in the desert, while he beats his chest with a stone. Next to him is the lion, symbol of tamed passions but also of his spiritual strength, and the skull, “memento mori” (remember that you must die), alluding to the passing of time and emphasising the transience of earthly life. His cardinal's hat hangs nearby, recalling his role as Doctor of the Church and translator of the Bible. This is a work of excellent quality in terms of its illustrative clarity, pictorial refinement and chromatic sensitivity, suggesting that it was executed in the Lombardy area around the end of the 16th century, and specifically indebted to the models created by Alessandro Bonvicino, known as Il Moretto (Brescia, c. 1498 - 1554), one of the leading artists of the early Renaissance in Brescia. Devotional paintings such as this were among Bonvicino's most important works, and the fact that there are no strictly analogous images suggests that the canvas should be included in the highly complex catalogue of works produced by the workshop, presumably under the supervision of the master himself. The work shows a strong Venetian influence: both the pictorial style and the colouring, dominated by the bright green of the drapery enveloping the saint, are elements that recall the works of Titian. Behind St Jerome, there is a wide hilly landscape with a clear sky dotted with a few clouds, characterised by a vivid blue, typical of the Brescian artist. The figure of Saint Jerome appears frequently in the painter's works in a variety of styles: in particular, the chromatic, light and tonal intonation of the image is reminiscent of Saint Jerome in Meditation from the Liechtenstein Museum collection (inv. GE 313, oil on panel, 39 × 31 cm, URL: https://www.liechtensteincollections.at/sammlungen-online/der-heilige-hieronymus4 , image 1) Other works in his catalogue with this subject include Saint Jerome from the Borromeo collection on Isola Bella, datable between 1540 and 1545 (fig. 2 - https://www.lombardiabeniculturali.it/ opere-arte/schede/C0050-00086/ ), or in the Madonna and Child with Saint Jerome from a private collection (fig. 3 - https://it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Madonna_con_bambino_e_san_Girolamo.jpg ). The figure, face and posture evoke Saint Mark the Evangelist in the Old Cathedral in Brescia (image 4 - https://catalogo.beniculturali.it/detail/HistoricOrArtisticProperty/0300044732 ). ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The images were taken using a professional photographic set and lighting. The painting is sold complete with a beautiful frame and comes with a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic card. If the work is purchased by non-British customers, an export permit will be required, which takes approximately 10-20 days to obtain. Our gallery will take care of the entire process until the permit is obtained. All costs for this procedure are included. We take care of and organise the transport of purchased works, both in Britain and abroad, using professional and insured carriers. If you would like to see this or other works in person, we would be delighted to welcome you to our new gallery in Riva del Garda, at Viale Giuseppe Canella 18. We look forward to seeing you! Please contact us for any information or to arrange a visit, we will be happy to assist you. Follow us on: https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/

Antoine Monnoyer the Younger (Paris 1671 – Paris Saint-Germain-en-Laye 1747) attributed Pair of floral still lifes Oil on canvas 52 x 65 cm. - With carved and gilded wooden frames. 66 x 79 cm. FULL DETAILS OF THE PAIR OF PAINTINGS (CLICK HERE) This splendid pair of paintings depicts a set of still lifes featuring floral arrangements: both canvases display rich bouquets of colorful flowers (including roses, carnations, daffodils, tulips, and anemones), with iridescent hues and elegantly arranged together. The flowers, arranged with a deliberate asymmetry, are set in an outdoor setting and seem almost to overflow from the natural rock formations typical of Baroque garden settings. The canvases feature a dark, almost uniform background that serves to make the brilliance and chromatic vibrancy of the petals stand out with absolute prominence, a refined technique that lends a strong sense of three-dimensionality. From an attributional standpoint, it is easy to identify the elements and stylistic canons typical of the floral compositions of the Monnoyer family, the undisputed masters of Franco-Flemish still life at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, a tradition led by the famous Jean-Baptiste and his son Antoine Monnoyer, whose artistic style is distinguished precisely by this type of sumptuous, dense, and highly decorative composition. Upon closer examination of the works, we are inclined to attribute them, in particular, to Antoine Monnoyer (Paris 1671 – Paris Saint-Germain-en-Laye 1747), recognizable by the elegant structure of the composition combined with the characteristic freshness and brilliance of the colors. After likely training in London at his father Jean Baptiste’s studio, Antoine moved to Paris, a city that became one of the main hubs of his artistic career, quickly establishing himself in the prestigious artistic circles of the French capital. At the height of his success, he left France for a study trip to Rome and then embarked on a career that would take him to various European courts, in Sweden, where he decorated the Royal Palace in Stockholm, with extended stays in England, particularly in London, where the family enjoyed the patronage of important clients and royalty. The paintings of the French artist —nicknamed “Young Baptist” for having perpetuated and evolved his father’s great pictorial tradition—are imbued with a soft sensuality derived from the sinuous movement of the flowers, intertwined in a sort of melody that unites them within a broader Baroque aesthetic. Finally, the interplay of the color palette is beautiful, especially between the deep red and the blue, which lends the composition a masterful and final lyrical touch. The paintings are in excellent condition and are enhanced by beautiful carved and gilded period wooden frames, whose geometric motifs and acanthus leaf details at the corners amplify their dramatic character, evoking their original destination in the salons of the 18th-century aristocracy. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The sold work comes with a certificate of authenticity and warranty. We handle and arrange the transport of purchased works, both within Italy and internationally, using professional and insured carriers. It is also possible to view the painting at our gallery in Riva del Garda; we would be delighted to welcome you to show you our collection of works. Please feel free to contact us for any additional information. Follow us on: INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/

Charles Ferdinand Ceramano (Thielt 1829 – Barbizon 1909 ) Signed and dated lower right: “1897, Ceramano” Landscape at Sunset with a Flock Grazing oil on canvas 114 x 147 cm. - framed 137 x 170 cm. FULL DETAILS: LINK The painting is an oil on canvas, signed and dated, by the Belgian artist Charles Ferdinand Ceramano (born Charles-Ferdinand Sermain, 1831–1909), known for his rural landscapes and pastoral scenes and a member of the Barbizon School, a French artistic movement that focused on landscape realism and favored plein air painting with subjects drawn directly from nature and peasant life, profoundly influencing 19th-century European realism The scene captures a moment of rural life at sunset, characterized by a warm and soft atmosphere: a large flock of sheep and lambs occupies the center of the composition; some are moving toward a pen on the right, while others are standing near two large conical haystacks on the left. The painting features a recurring motif in the Belgian Divisionist’s work; his paintings are not merely scenes of pastoral life, but embody a strong poetic and spiritual charge, along with a deep respect for daily toil, reflected through his engagement with models of European naturalism (such as the works of Millet). In the background, partially hidden by the flock, a shepherd can be glimpsed, while in the foreground on the left, a dark dog watches over the animals, fulfilling its duty of surveillance. The entire scene is enveloped in warm, evocative tones, with the sky tinged with the orange and pink hues typical of sunset, and heavy clouds suggesting the end of the workday—a recurring feature in the artist’s mature works. By devoting numerous studies to nature, which had a strong influence on his depiction of light and atmosphere, the artist succeeded in capturing the atmosphere of the landscape with great sensitivity and social realism. The brushwork is textured and controlled, capable of realistically rendering the texture of the sheep’s fleece and the uneven ground. The work bears the signature “Ceramano” and the date 1897 in the lower right corner. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The sold work comes complete with a gilded frame, a certificate of authenticity, and a descriptive iconographic sheet. We handle and arrange the shipping of purchased works, both within Italy and internationally, using professional and insured carriers. You can also view the painting at our gallery in Riva del Garda; we would be delighted to welcome you and show you our collection of works. Please feel free to contact us for any additional information. Follow us on: INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/

Luca Cambiaso (Moneglia, 1527 – Madrid, 1585), a member of the circle of or follower of The Penitent Magdalene Oil on canvas 102 x 84 cm. - Framed 123 x 104 cm. FULL DETAILS OF THE PAINTING (CLICK HERE) The protagonist of the work is a devout Saint Mary Magdalene, recognizable for her simple beauty, her disheveled clothes recalling her past as a sinner, and her long, loose hair flowing over her shoulders. She is portrayed in a moment of deep contemplation and atonement, with her arms delicately folded across her chest to form a cross, symbolically expressing her desire for total participation in the Passion of Christ. This gesture, particularly common in the iconography of the saint, symbolizes her mystical union with the Redeemer’s suffering and her total submission to the faith. We see her in profile, with a meditative gaze full of emotion, evoking repentance, directed toward the crucifix, the open book, and the skull—the three canonical symbols of her iconography. She is draped in a soft cloth held by her arms, leaving her shoulders bare—a simple yet distinctly feminine pose, striking a perfect balance between the sensuality of the sinner and her spiritual asceticism. She is thus portrayed with the typical ambivalence between the sacred and the profane that defines her figure, in a perfect balance between the sensuality of the sinner and her spiritual asceticism in repentance. It is not difficult to appreciate the skill of its creator, active in the 17th century; the compositional style and approach point to the work being attributed to a skilled follower or a master from the circle of the Genoese painter Luca Cambiaso (Moneglia, 1527 – Madrid, 1585), one of the most fascinating representatives of Italian Mannerism. Throughout his career, he traveled between Genoa, Rome, and Emilia, coming into contact with the most important artistic movements of his time. His painting, as is clearly evident in this work, reflects a multitude of influences; trained in the Mannerist tradition by following the examples of the greatest artists of the time, he laid the groundwork for Genoa’s most fruitful artistic period. His subjects also reveal delicate imagery and Venetian colorism. The flesh tones, touched by a diaphanous luminosity, belong to the mature phase of his production, which also denotes a clear desire to renew his expressive refinement. From a draftsmanship perspective, we can discern strong similarities with the famous Penitent Mary Magdalene by Giovanni Francesco Guerrieri (Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio, Fano), which our artist, while personalizing it, must certainly have had the opportunity to study. https://catalogo.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/scheda/opera/48357/Guerrieri%20Giovanni%20Francesco,%20Sant... The painting is in good condition. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The work is sold complete with a gilded frame, a certificate of authenticity, and a descriptive iconographic sheet. We handle and arrange the shipping of purchased works, both within Italy and internationally, using professional and insured carriers. You can also view the painting at our gallery in Riva del Garda; we would be delighted to welcome you and show you our collection of works. Please feel free to contact us for any additional information. Follow us on: INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/

The Rape of Europa - circle of Paolo De Matteis (Piano Vetrale, 1662 - Naples, 1728) oil on canvas (cm.) 57 x 98 - with gilded wooden frame 77 x 118 cm. This beautiful painting, attributed to the circle of Paolo De Matteis (Piano Vetrale, 1662 – Naples, 1728), depicts, through a composition of great elegance, an episode drawn from Greek mythology: the abduction of the Phoenician princess Europa by Jupiter, as described by the Latin poet Ovid in his Metamorphoses. This myth was highly popular in Roman Baroque painting of the late 16th and early 17th centuries, often commissioned as a subject to adorn the sumptuous private rooms of the aristocratic palaces of Rome. The work depicts, in particular, the climax of the story in which the King of the Gods, having transformed himself into a bull to deceive her, seizes Europa by force and flees toward the island of Crete, swimming away proudly as he cuts through the churning waves of the sea. The princess does not appear terrified, but assumes a regal and languid pose, seated on the animal’s back while holding onto its horns, crowned with flowers and draped in a classical robe. With her left hand she holds a garland of flowers, while behind her a large golden drape billows, catching the wind. A flying cherub precedes the pair on the left, parting the clouds and holding a lit torch, a symbol of the passionate love that drove Zeus to perform this act, while two other cherubs move through the rippling waves, one on the left swimming and looking upward, while the one on the right flanks the bull’s tail, as if to escort and protect the divine crossing to Crete. On the rocky outcrop to the right, Europa’s three handmaids watch the scene helplessly, waving their arms and reaching out toward their princess, expressing grief and bewilderment at her sudden disappearance. On the left side, beyond the flying cherub, the coastline ends with a dark rocky promontory. In the distance, along the line of the sea horizon, one can make out the blurred outline of a fortified city, a symbol of her native Phoenicia, which Europa leaves behind forever. The composition and the classicism of the style, highlighted by the brilliant color palette, along with the painterly quality evident in the work, are characteristics that support its attribution to Paolo de Matteis, one of the most important painters of the Southern Italian Baroque. A leading pupil of Luca Giordano, he was able to blend his master’s vigorous Baroque style with a more graceful classicism, thanks to his preference for mythological subjects. Essential to his training was his stay in Rome (between 1682 and 1683), where he deeply absorbed the classicist teachings of Carlo Maratta, a proponent of an idealized classicism influenced by Raphael and Annibale Carracci, who modified the compositional grace and chromatic luminosity with his orderly and rigorous draftsmanship, anticipating the softness and elegance typical of 18th-century Rococo. Returning to the canvas in question, elements such as the idealized figure of Europa, the theatrical rendering of the waves, and the presence of the three fluttering little angels are characteristic expressions of his reinterpretations of the myths from Ovid’s Metamorphoses: in this specific case, the composition draws on the drawing of the same subject created by Maratta

Gaspare Diziani (Belluno 1689 – Venice 1767) Allegory of Sleep (or of Night) 19 x 39 cm. In a fine frame with Rococo carvings, 37 x 56 cm. Provenance: Hampel Fine Art Auctions, Munich, July 4, 2018, Lot 467 estimate € 25,000 - 35,000 (link) This little gem of Venetian Rococo painting depicts a fascinating allegorical composition of Sleep: at the center, a reclining female figure with large wings representing Night (Nyx), one of the primordial deities of Greek mythology and protector of rest. The woman holds a bouquet of poppies in one hand and wears a crown of flowers and poppy capsules, a dreamlike symbol that, in reference to opium, is associated with deep sleep and Morpheus, since its hypnotic properties induce oblivion, rest, and dreams. At her side, two small sleeping cherubs, in a state of complete physical abandonment, symbolizing the soporific effect of the night: one lies asleep in the foreground on a golden drape, while the other, on the right, rests reclined with his head resting on his arm. These are the children of Night, the twins Hypnos and Thanatos, who, according to classical mythology, are the divine personifications of Sleep and peaceful Death (hence the famous Latin phrase consanguineus lethi sopor, “sleep is the brother of death”). In antiquity, the image of sleeping cherubs was considered an allegory of eternal sleep and liberation from earthly toil: the overall atmosphere of the work appears soft and languid, created specifically to visually convey the sensation of nocturnal rest and tranquility. Of beautiful quality and in excellent condition, the canvas exhibits characteristics indicative of its Venetian origin, due to the chromatic exuberance and the liveliness of the brushwork; in particular, the work bears a traditional attribution to the master Gaspare Diziani (Belluno 1689 – Venice 1767), a refined figure in the Venetian art scene of the 18th century. We recognize his typical use of color, with a palette of vibrant tones, and of soft chiaroscuro, with light distributed effectively to create a beautiful sense of depth and volume. In the color scheme, the triad of red, yellow, and blue is reinterpreted here in pastel tones, in keeping with the late Baroque style. Having arrived in Venice from Belluno around 1710, Diziani was first a pupil of Gregorio Lazzarini, the last provincial exponent of Baroque tenebrism, and then of Sebastiano Ricci, whose teaching was decisive in shaping a style of painting rich in texture, chromatic emphasis, and strong, energetic brushwork. Initially devoted to theatrical set design, during the second decade of the century his work took him to Dresden, to the court of Augustus III of Saxony, and to Munich. In 1720, his presence in Venice is documented once again, but we also know he was active in various cities throughout the Veneto region, painting works of significant artistic merit, particularly in Belluno and Padua. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The sold work comes complete with an antique frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and warranty. We handle and arrange the shipping of purchased works, both within Italy and internationally, using professional and insured carriers. You can also view the painting at our gallery in Riva del Garda; we would be delighted to welcome you and show you our collection of works. Please feel free to contact us for any additional information. Follow us on: INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/