PAINTINGS ONLINE | ANCIENT AND CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY

Oil on canvas. Northern Italian school, mid-17th century. The man portrayed is dressed in a large black cape, severe yet edged with white lace at the wrists, sitting at a desk while rereading a letter, with the inkwell and pen resting on the surface in front of him, indicating his culture and high position. The painting, restored and relined, is presented in a late 19th century frame re-lacquered in black, but with several missing colors.

Oil on canvas. The composition features a basket full of fruit, resting on a low wall on which a snail is climbing. In style, the work looks to the most ancient pictorial canons. It is presented in a period frame.

Untitled

Acrylics on board. Signed lower right. The artist Marisa Mezzadra has combined the art of painting with poetry, translating into images what great poets of different centuries have inspired her. An English teacher at Bocconi University in Milan, she has combined two worlds, that of painting and that of teaching, in the constant search for new methods of developing her two activities. In particular, Marisa Mezzadra's metaphysical painting seeks to reveal the hidden meaning of existence, of the world within us and around us, in the profound essence of splendid nature.

Untitled

Acrylics on board. Signed lower right. The artist Marisa Mezzadra has combined the art of painting with poetry, translating into images what great poets of different centuries have inspired her. An English teacher at Bocconi University in Milan, she has combined two worlds, that of painting and that of teaching, in the constant search for new methods of developing her two activities. In particular, Marisa Mezzadra's metaphysical painting seeks to reveal the hidden meaning of existence, of the world within us and around us, in the profound essence of splendid nature.

Landscape with Figures, 1930 ca.

Oil on canvas. Signed lower right. Ivan Karpoff, of Russian origins but raised and artistically established in Italy, was appreciated for his painting oriented towards the Italian impressionistic realism of the late 19th century; he devoted himself mainly to landscapes and portraits. In this work he offers a glimpse of the countryside and hills overlooking a lake, with two peasant figures intent on harvesting. On the back of the canvas there is a dedication: "Campanini... to the Manara spouses Luciano and Adriana, Milan 28 October 1939 XVII". The painting is presented in a mid-1900s frame.

Still Life

Oil on canvas. Signed lower right. Giovanni Colombo, known as Da Busnago (from the name of his hometown), distinguished himself in the post-war period mainly for his landscapes and views, dedicated to Venice and Paris, but above all to Milan, always painting from life and remaining faithful to a naturalistic style derived from impressionism. Moreover, his works are influenced by his encounter with the Chiarists, in the choice of soft colors, almost transparent and full of light. His naturalism was also expressed in still lifes and floral compositions, always characterized by chromatic delicacy. The painting is presented in a frame from the first half of the 20th century, in wood and plaster, with slight breaks.

The Return from the Feast of the Madonna dell' Arco in Naples

Oil on canvas. This is a copy of a famous painting by the painter Louis Léopold Robert (1794 -1835), which was exhibited at the Salon de Paris in 1827 and bought by King Louis Philippe; it is currently preserved in the Louvre Museum. The painting depicts a joyful festive scene, rich in folklore with costumed characters dancing the tarantella and in the background the fantastic panorama of the city of Naples. Robert, a Swiss artist, stayed several times in Italy, where he found inspiration for the creation of many works and established himself as a romantic genre painter and Grand Tour landscape painter, whose subjects were highly appreciated and replicated. The painting of the "Return from the feast of the Madonna dell' Arco in Naples", was part of a project by Robert, who intended to paint four large canvases on the seasons, set in four different parts of Italy: this one represented Spring. The canvas presented here, unsigned, is nevertheless of high pictorial quality. Restored and relined, it is presented in a late 19th - early 20th century frame.

Oil on canvas. This is a reverse copy of the work of the same name by Guido Reni (1575 -1642), created around 1605 and currently preserved in the Uffizi Museum in Florence. Numerous replicas of Reni's work were made. The work depicts the figure of the young David permeated by a certain icy coldness associated with a melancholic elegance in the pose and in the dandy's clothing, with a red plumed hat; although the moment is rather bloody, due to the display of the severed head of the giant Goliath. David holds it with one hand to stare at its face with a detached air, and now distant from the fatigue of the accomplished feat, of which the slingshot he holds in the other hand recalls. The figures stand out against a dark background, from which they emerge with plays of light and shadow. Restored and relined, the painting is presented in an early 1900s frame.

Oil on canvas, applied to a wooden plate. The Saint is depicted in the foreground, half-length: the naked torso of the body is partially covered by a fur falling from the shoulders, on which her long hair stretches; the Magdalene keeps her eyes turned to the sky, in a contemplative state, in her hands the skull, Memento mori, and next to it a crust of bread, her only nourishment in the life of penance. Behind the figure is a dark background, from which a beam of light emerges to create a halo around her head and accentuate the pathos of her expression. The painting has slight color nuances, especially along the right margin. It is presented in a frame in style,

Neuron On, The Idea Lights Up, 1985

Acrylics on board. Title, signature, date and location Pavia on the back. The artist Marisa Mezzadra has combined painting with poetry, translating into images what great poets of different centuries have inspired her. An English teacher at Bocconi University in Milan, she has combined two worlds, that of painting and that of teaching, in the constant search for new methods of developing her two activities. In particular, Marisa Mezzadra's metaphysical painting seeks to reveal the hidden meaning of existence, of the world within us and around us, in the profound essence of splendid nature.

Oil on canvas. French school, 19th century. Monogram JP at the bottom left. In orientalist style, the painting portrays a young woman in oriental clothes, adorned with jewels, who is holding a parakeet in her hand. In Christian symbolism, this bird has a meaning of purity and innocence, while in more secular iconography it indicates elegance, communicative ability or, more generally, refers to exoticism. The painting is presented in a contemporary frame.

Oil on canvas. Unidentified signature lower right. This is a copy of the work, also a full-length one, by Domenico Morelli, called "Mater Purissima", created around 1880 and subject to numerous replicas and variations in the following decades. The work is presented in an early 20th-century frame.

Oil on canvas. Portrait of a young lady sporting an elaborate hairstyle, large pendant earrings and a showy fur stole; behind her a sunset creates a play of light on the dark background of the sky. The painting is presented in a contemporary regilded frame.

Oil on canvas. Portrait of a young gentleman in a black overcoat. Relined, it is presented in a contemporary regilded frame.

Interior with Figures and Animals, 1917

Oil on canvas. Signed and dated lower right. In Giuseppe Solenghi's extensive production, rich in lyricism expressed with delicate and refined tones and strokes, the urban landscapes of Milan or the Venetian lagoon views prevail, but there are also several glimpses of the countryside, mainly Lombardy, as well as rustic interiors. In this work the artist portrays the interior of a peasant house, where humans and animals coexist: the scene is pervaded by a serene atmosphere of family everyday life, in which the warm light of the sun filtering through the open door creates plays of light and shadow on the earth tones of the interior. The painting is presented in a mid-20th century frame.

Oil on canvas. Tasty depiction of popular life with caricature-like figures: three full-length commoners are depicted on the street while they converse intensely with each other, exchanging confidences or... gossip! Unsigned, the painting requires restoration due to a tear at the bottom.

Copy from David Teniers II

Oil on panel. The painting is a revised copy of the famous work by David Teniers the Younger (1610 -1690), executed between 1634 and 1640 and currently preserved at the Prado Museum in Madrid. The title of the lively scene refers to the so-called Twelfth Night, a celebration corresponding to the Epiphany, precisely twelve days after Christmas, which was the last night of celebrations, in which one could drink beyond one's limits, dedicate oneself to love, to partner and gender swapping, a sort of carnival, during which the King of Misrule (literally the king of Misrule) was elected, a ruler in reverse who imposed his laws, subverting rules and behaviors. This work, like many others by Teniers, had such success linked to the numerous commissions from royals and aristocrats during the 18th century, as to induce a large posthumous production of copyists, many of whom even signed with the artist's name. The painting presented here has several paint losses, to be remedied. It is in a late 19th century frame, adapted for size.

Oil on poplar panel. The young commoner depicted, belonging to the category of "pitocch" (a term used to indicate the state of complete indigence of the characters, the result of careful and unconventional observation of reality), reveals a marked strabismus, which transforms the laughing expression into an amused grimace. The painting shows traces of small restorations. It is presented in a 19th century frame.

Oil on poplar panel. The young commoner depicted, belonging to the category of "pitocchi" (a term used to indicate the state of complete indigence of the characters, the result of careful and unconventional observation of reality), opens his mouth wide in a cry that, from the frowning expression on his face, seems to be one of anger or pain. The painting has slight losses of color. It is presented in a 19th century frame.

Oil on canvas. Northern Italian school of the 19th century. The landscape depicts a wide countryside that opens onto the Alpine mountain range, preceded by the gentler pre-Alpine hill slopes; on the central path, which runs straight and perpendicular to the reliefs, a commoner is passing with his mule. The atmosphere is that of the end of the day, with pink shades illuminating the snow-capped peak. A very similar subject can be found in the production of the circle of Carlo Canella (1800 -1879), the Veronese artist known above all for his city views. The work is presented in a late 19th-century frame.

Oil on canvas. Half-length portrait of an elderly peasant couple, she with her head covered by a red scarf, he with a traditional headdress; the two faces emerge from the dark background with dignified and serene expressions. The painting is presented in a contemporary frame.

The Ancient Triskelion 1997

Mixed media on board. Signed and dated lower right. On the back, further signature, date and title. Driven by an intense intellectual curiosity that has characterized every moment of his experience, not only creative, but also human and professional, the Ancona artist Giorgio Villa has developed his own principles of thought and action, on rigorous bases of a scientific-mathematical approach, nourished by a profound poetic inspiration and a deep-rooted sense of beauty. The search for a path to follow, free from patterns or cultural ties characterizes his art; Villa moves in the sphere of imagination, feelings and the poetry of images. Each work is the fruit of a meditated inspiration, moment by moment, allowing space for reflection, for the considered gesture, analyzing the relationships between space and matter, between colors and shape, to identify the perfect synthesis, which makes a work of art unique and unrepeatable. In this work Villa depicts the Triskelion, or the ancient symbol formed by three spirals joined at a central point, more generally three intertwined spirals, or, by extension, any other symbol with three protuberances and a triple rotational symmetry.