Flemish Artist Active in Italy, Mediterranean Landscape, 1700, Oil on Canvas

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Flemish painter active in Italy in the 18th century
Mediterranean coastal landscape with architecture and figures
Oil on canvas (69 … Read more Flemish painter active in Italy in the 18th century
Mediterranean coastal landscape with architecture and figures
Oil on canvas (69 x 88 cm, framed 80 x 100 cm)

This evocative view depicts a coastal view with a bay and the ruins of an ancient building, likely a monastery or church, with another building in the background and a garden surrounded by high walls near the shore.
The landscape, typical of southern Italy, and the intimate atmosphere surrounding the scene suggest the work was created by a vedutista active in the 18th century, presumably in Italy during this period. It has immediate references to the Dutch school, particularly the work of Jacob de Heusch and especially Gaspar van Wittel, considered the founder of Italian vedutismo.
Indeed, in the rendering of the architectural details, the purity with which the buildings have been painted, as well as the atmosphere that envelops the entire landscape, one can discern a marked resemblance to the so-called "Vanvitellian verism": a comparison can be noted with a certain series of views that the Dutch artist dedicated especially to Rome.
In the foreground, we find the genre scenes that the artist loved to include in his refined views: fishermen, a pier with a moored boat, and two people drying off serve to humanize a view with an almost metaphysical atmosphere.
Our artist must certainly have been fascinated by Van Wittel's work and sought to echo his compositional inspiration in this canvas; For example, we can mention "The Tiber at Castel Sant'Angelo, Seen from the South" by Van Wittel Gaspar (Rome, Istituto Bancario Italiano Collection), dated around 1715, for its luminous rendering and the definition of the cluster of buildings, as well as the bathing figures in the foreground.

The painting is completed by a beautiful wooden frame.

The painting is in excellent condition and is sold with a legally required certificate of authenticity. This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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