Felice Boselli, Still Life of Flowers and Fruit Boselli, 1700, Oil on Canvas

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Description

Felice boselli (piacenza, 1650 – parma, 1732)
still life of flowers and fruit

oil on oval canvas

73 x 96 … Read more Felice boselli (piacenza, 1650 – parma, 1732)
still life of flowers and fruit

oil on oval canvas

73 x 96 cm.
in a beautiful gilded oval frame with a pod-shaped decoration, 95 x 122 cm.

the painting is accompanied by a critical note by professor ferdinando arisi.

reference literature: ferdinando arisi, "still life between milan and parma in the baroque age. Felice boselli, corrections and additions" (edizioni tip.le.co., 1995)

the painting is a splendid baroque still life, enclosed in a beautiful oval frame, composed of a rich composition of flowers arranged to occupy the entire painting surface, including prominent carnations, roses in shades of pink and white, small wildflowers, and bluebells. On the right side, the scene is enriched by a selection of fruit arranged alongside a floral composition, including peaches or small apples, bunches of white and black grapes, and other small fruits similar to medlars.

the work is attributed to the piacenza painter felice boselli (1650–1732) by professor ferdinando arisi, an art historian and leading expert on the painter's studio, who has dedicated fundamental studies and research to him.

the style of boselli's floral still lifes fully reflects the sensibility of the emilian and lombard baroque, blending a strong naturalistic rendering with the decorative demands of the great aristocratic patrons of the parma and piacenza areas.

although the artist is best known for his rustic markets, game pantries, and kitchen scenes cluttered with meat and fish, his floral and fruit paintings reveal highly distinctive and recognizable stylistic traits.

first and foremost, the flowers in boselli's works are almost always conceived as an inseparable companion to fruit, a union that celebrates the fertility of the earth and the exuberance of nature. These compositions were often set within specific geometric formats (ovals or octagons), tailor-made to fit into the wood paneling or friezes of ducal halls, such as those at the rocca di fontanellato or the soragna castle, where he worked continuously.

in the monograph that ferdinando arisi dedicated to the painter, entitled "still life between milan and parma in the baroque age. Felice boselli, rectifications and additions," we can easily find comparisons with our painting. In particular, on page 70 (illustration 200), we see a still life of a similar subject, which the critic places in the same period (circa 1690) because we can see the same taste in composition and the same composed brushstrokes in creating the flower petals, particularly the roses. Another work, on page 198 (illustration 254), is a still life from a private collection, where the monochrome flowers against the dark background resemble those seen in our still life of flowers and fruit.

not least, his work is distinguished by his realistic and immediate approach, far removed from the idealized perfection or geometric symmetry of the flemish masters. The flowers are never rigidly displayed in monumental vases, but are portrayed with an almost "spontaneous" freshness: cut, arranged haphazardly on stone surfaces, or freely mixed with seasonal leaves and fruit.

additional information:

the painting is completed by a beautiful gilded wooden frame and is sold 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



issues arising from misattribution See less