"Venetian, 18th century" is (follower of?) Nicola Grassi

Neumeister, from Germany, sells on 29 March 2017 a "Venetian, 18th century" Rachel and Jacob at the Well, estimated at 5,000 to 6,000 Euro.

It is a work in the style of and possibly by Nicola (or Nicolo) Grassi (1682-1748), a Venetian artist who also worked in Bavaria around 1725. As Neumeister is located in Munich, the capital of Bavaria, it becomes even more likely that this is a work by him.

Rachel and the Well was one of the most popular topics of Grassi. Looking at e.g. FonzazioneZeri, an Italian art database, they list some 60 works by or associated with Grassi, incuding the following related works: an Eliezer, a Jacob, another Eliezer (pictured), an unclear sketch, yet another Eliezer, a very nice Rebecca (also pictured). Recurring elements include the sculpted base of the well, the white dress with blue or black shirt of Rebecca / Rachel, the background girl with the vase on her head, and elements like the sheep and the background. The main girl is also always clearly of the same type and posture, even though the hairdo varies.

Sotheby's sold in 2015 a Rachel and Jacob at the Well, estimated at $15,000 but unsold. This one is probably the closest to the one for sale. All these works have Rachel with the same clothes and the same or similar hair and figure, this one adds Jacob, who also has the same clothes and colour scheme. The well is also comparable (down to the square stone for the round well), as are the two women close to the well, the sheep, and the girl with the amphora on her head in the right background.

In 2006 Christie's sold a comparable work (a different scene from the same story) for £20,000.

The painting for sale is weaker in execution though than most certain Grassi works, both in the force the figures radiate and in the colouring. Comparing the Sotheby's one with the Zeri one above, such differences seem to be normal for Grassi though, and perhaps his German paintings cater to a somewhat different taste? I don't know enough about Grassi to attribute this one definitely to him, but it is clearly by at least a close follower. As an anonymous work, it should be worth the estimate: if it really is a Grassi, it is probably worth closer to 15,000 Euro.