Offered by Antichità Castelbarco
Still life of flowers in a classic vase
Master of the Grotesque Vase (active in Rome and Naples in the first quarter of the 17th century)
oil painting on canvas (66 x 51 cm - In frame cm. 82 x 68
In this sumptuous still life we ??see a precious classical vase in partly gilded and embossed metal, animated by two protruding harpies with the function of handles, which collects a fine floral bouquet inside. Next to the vase, placed on a stone shelf, two small birds arranged symmetrically one in front of the other.
The elaborate artifact, protagonist as much as the floral varieties it contains, has a whimsical and bizarre shape, which is inspired by the features that are still late Mannerist. All evoke the magnificent studies of vases carried out, between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, by Polidoro da Caravaggio.
The shape and decoration of our vase reflect a very popular model in the seventeenth century, which art historians have brought together under the name of "Masters of grotesque vases". With this name a number of authors are grouped, probably active in different territories of Central Italy, mainly Rome and Naples, but also in the North, over a period of time extended during the seventeenth century. It is a rather archaic production of paintings, also very different from a stylistic and qualitative point of view, depicting bouquets of flowers in "old-fashioned" vases.
In particular, the painting offered here can be placed in the Neapolitan area for its stylistic and compositional characteristics, with strong analogy to the painter Giacomo Recco (Naples 1603 - before 1653), in the context of his production therefore maturing around the Six hundred. For example, see: Recco Giacomo, Still life with vase of flowers (http:
Common peculiarities of these works are the use of embossed and chiseled metal vases in Mannerist style with figured handles and a richly decorated central body and the support surfaces consisting of a simple square stone parallelepiped isolated in the center of the pictorial field.
Other common features are the archaic, schematic and sometimes symmetrical arrangement of the flower bouquet, and above all the weak plastic and naturalistic rendering of the plants, which often appear as rigid shapes cut out and applied on the canvas.
The painting is in excellent condition, perfectly restored, accompanied by a beautiful golden frame.
Delevery information :
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Should you have the desire to see this or other works in person, we would be happy to welcome you to our gallery in Riva del Garda, Viale Giuseppe Canella 18, we are always open by appointment only.
