After Luigi Garzi, Angels, Flowers & Fruit, 1700, Oil on Canvas

Details

Description

Roman School, early 18th century
Luigi Garzi (Pistoia 1638 – Rome 1721) attributed to
Still Life of Fruit Supported by … Read more Roman School, early 18th century
Luigi Garzi (Pistoia 1638 – Rome 1721) attributed to
Still Life of Fruit Supported by Three Angels

Oil on oval canvas
116 x 91 cm, framed 140 x 119 cm.

Photographic certificate by Professor Giancarlo Sestieri, who attributes the work to the circle of Luigi Garzi

This magnificent canvas, depicting a sumptuous composition of fruit supported by three prosperous winged cherubs, from which protrudes a parchment bearing the Latin phrase "Amor est vitae essentiae," can be dated to the work of a Roman artist active between the second half of the 17th century and the early 18th century.
Iconography depicting cherubs with fruit or flowers was common in the Baroque period, especially in Rome, beginning in the 17th century. This particular tendency toward illusionistic and frivolous images, a type of painting or fresco with a strong decorative value, intended for private settings and depicting jubilant scenes of cherubs, angels, or cherubs, is a perfect example of this.

Among the most illustrious iconographic precedents, we can recall the elegant mirrors painted by Mario Nuzzi and Carlo Maratta that adorn the hall of Palazzo Colonna in Rome, as well as the canvas preserved in the Rouen museum and similar ones in Palazzo Chigi in Ariccia, with the collaboration of Filippo Lauri for the figurative parts.
The commercial and decorative success of similar works is also attested by artists such as Guglielmo Cortese, known as Borgognone (1628-1679), Franz Werner Von Tamm (1658-1724), Giovan Battista Gaulli (1639-1709), Giovanni Paolo Castelli, known as Spadino (Rome 1650-1740), and the aforementioned Carlo Maratta (1625-1713).
The work, studied by Giancarlo Sestieri, has been linked to the work of the eclectic Pistoian painter Luigi Garzi, one of the leading figures of Roman painting in the transitional decades between the 17th and 18th centuries. In our painting, we can find the typical elements of his style: the soft light and delicate chiaroscuro, the sculptural classicism of the figures, as well as the stunning lighting and color effects.
Luigi Garzi's training and artistic career took place in the Eternal City, and he was, in every sense of the word, a Roman artist. Having moved to Rome from his hometown of Pistoia at a very young age, he entered the studio of Andrea Sacchi, who directed his studies toward classicism, exploring the works of Raphael, Domenichino, and Nicolas Poussin, as well as Emilian classicism, with a particular focus on the school of Guido Reni.
However, he undoubtedly favored Emilian examples, particularly Giovanni Lanfranco, who shaped his taste and style, along with a modulated Cortonism, while his 18th-century sensibilities were influenced by the work of Carlo Maratta.
However, there is no doubt that the painter oriented his personality without ever succumbing to imitation, achieving a refined elegance and autonomy of expression, as clearly demonstrated by the canvas under consideration. In this work, various influences find a refined blend, perfectly in harmony with the Baroque evolution between the 17th and 18th centuries, indicating a date to his early maturity.
These aptitudes led the painter to early recognition and prestigious commissions, such as the frescoes in Palazzo Borghese and San Carlo al Corso, where reminiscences of Domenichino and Reni emerge, and the dome of the Cybo Chapel in Santa Maria del Popolo. Returning to the work, we can therefore assume a mature chronological placement, given its distinctive approach, which focuses on brushstrokes in enameled tones and a heartfelt classicism.

The painting is in excellent condition, with a beautiful antique frame.

The work is accompanied by a legally required photographic 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



issues arising from misattribution See less