Giovanni Agostino Cassana, Still Life, 1700, Oil on Canvas, Framed

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Description

Giovanni agostino cassana (venice post-1658 - genoa 1720)

still life with two fowl

oil on canvas (81 x 63 cm … Read more Giovanni agostino cassana (venice post-1658 - genoa 1720)

still life with two fowl

oil on canvas (81 x 63 cm - framed 100 x 81 cm)

- provenance: sotheby's milan, 07/06/2000, lot 199 (estimate €10,000-15,000), see photo details

- published in: naturalia. Still lifes in public and private collections, edited by g. Bocchi and u. Bocchi, turin, 1992, p. 155

nb: please note that the actual painting appears darker than the photos published here, which were professionally lit.

the painting in question, "still life with a pair of fowls," is attributed to giovanni agostino cassana (venice post-1658 - genoa 1720). The canvas, published in the volume "naturalia. Still lifes in public and private collections," edited by g. Bocchi and u. Bocchi, immediately captures the eye with its intense realism, with the birds hanging upside down, tied by their legs, standing out against a dark, neutral background. This is a testament to high painting, allowing the artist to masterfully use light and shadow to enhance the texture of the feathers, the brown and black hues of the plumage, and the vivid red details of the heads. The anatomical precision and textural rendering are remarkable.

the genre of still life, dedicated to game, achieved great popularity in the 17th century, especially in flemish painting but also in italy, facilitated by the influence of painters such as jan baptist weenix and willem van aelst, who spent time in italy. However, the genre exhibited stylistic and symbolic differences: flemish still lifes often incorporate religious symbolism linked to the transience of life (memento mori), while italian still lifes tended to focus more on plastic and compositional realism, with an emphasis on the materiality of the subjects depicted.

the vibrant sensation conveyed by the appearance of these two fowls here achieves an exceptional expressive force, certainly captured outdoors, and embodied by a free and loose yet meticulous execution, italian-style both in terms of lighting and the warm, intense color it emanates, blending the nordic taste for detailed realism with caravaggio-esque plasticity.

additional information:

the work is sold complete with a beautiful gilded wooden case and comes with a certificate of authenticity and an iconographic . 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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