Tuesday 4 October 2016

"Italian School" is School of Aniello Falcone

Châtivesle, from France, sells on 9 October 2016 an "Italian School, first half of the 17th century" village concert, estimated at 4,000 to 6,000 Euro (page 3 of the pdf catalogue, or until the auction is finished at Interenchères with some further information).

It is a work in the tradition of Titian, Domenichino and Spada, but the actual example and perhaps artist for this one is Aniello Falcone  (1600-1656), a Neapolitan best known for battle scenes. The above "Concert" by him is very close in composition, but more restrained, much less bawdy.

The painting doesn't look to be good enough to be by Falcone (although it could do with a good cleaning). Perhaps we should look at slightly later painters like Bernhard Keil / Bernardo Monsu (1624-1687), a Danish painter working in Italy who has made some similar compositions.

The estimate seems about right but is a bit of a gamble considering the condition of the painting.

UPDATE: sold for 22,000 Euro! I wonder if the buyer also considers it related to Falcone or Monsu.

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