Paintings

Artist/ School: 18/19th Century Spanish School Title :Head study of Christ Medium: oil painting on wood panel, period gilt framed panel : 6 x 5 inches Provenance: private collect...

The splendour of the tragic sea Francesco Guardi and maritime painting in Venetian art No Venetian painter was a stranger to the sea. After all, Venice was not only one of the most prominent ports of the Mediterranean, but indeed a city literally submerged in the ocean from time to time. Curiously however, the famous Venetian school of painting showed little interest in maritime motifs, favouring scenes from the iconic architecture of the city rather than seascapes. That is why this painting is a particularly interesting window into not only the painter Francesco Guardi himself – but to the significance of the element of water in art history, in absence as well as in the centre of attention. Whether it be calm, sunny days with stunning views of the palaces alongside the canals of Venice or – more rarely – stormy shipwrecking tragedies at sea, water as a unifying element is integral to the works of painter Francesco Guardi (1712–1793). During his lifetime, Venetian art saw many of its greatest triumphs with names like Tiepolo or Canaletto gaining international recognition and firmly establishing Venice as one of the most vibrant artistic communities of Europe. While the city itself already in the 18th century was something of an early tourist spot where aristocrats and high society visited on their grand tour or travels, the artists too contributed to the fame and their work spread the image of Venice as the city of romance and leisure to an international audience, many of whom could never visit in person. Still today, the iconic image of Venice with its whimsical array of palaces, churches and other historic buildings is much influenced by these artists, many of whom have stood the test of time like very well and remain some of the most beloved in all of art history. It was not primarily subtility, intellectual meanings or moral ideals that the Venetian art tried to capture; instead it was the sheer vibrancy of life and the fast-paced city with crumbling palaces and festive people that made this atmosphere so special. Of course, Venice could count painters in most genres among its residents, from portraiture to religious motifs, history painting and much else. Still, it is the Vedutas and views of the city that seems to have etched itself into our memory more than anything else, not least in the tradition of Canaletto who was perhaps the undisputed master of all Venetian painters. Born into his profession, Francesco lived and breathed painting all his life. His father, the painter Domenico Guardi (1678–1716) died when Francesco was just a small child, yet both he and his brothers Niccolò and Gian Antonio continued in their fathers’ footsteps. The Guardi family belonged to the nobility and originated from the mountainous area of Trentino, not far from the Alps. The brothers worked together on more challenging commissions and supported each other in the manner typical of family workshops or networks of artists. Their sister Maria Cecilia married no other than the artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo himself, linking the family to the most renowned Venetian name of the time. During almost a decade, Guardi worked in the studio of Michele Giovanni Marieschi, sometimes simply known as Michiel, a painted similar in both style and motif. Canaletto is, however, the artist Guardi is most often compared to since they shared a mutual fascination for depicting the architecture and cityscape of Venice. During the course of his career, Guardi tried his hand in many different genres. He was as swift in painting landscapes, Vedutas of Venice, sacred motifs, interiors and architectural compositions as he was in a number of other motifs. His style is typical of the Venetian school but also distinct and personal once we look a little closer. There is an absolute certainty in the composition, the choice of which sometimes feels like that of a carefully calculated photograph – yet it is also very painterly, in the best sense of the word: fluid, bold, sensitive and full of character. The brushwork is rapid, intense, seemingly careless and extraordinarily minute at the same time; fresh and planned in a very enjoyable mixture. His interiors often capture the breath-taking spacious glamour of the palaces and all their exquisite decor. He usually constructed the motif through remarkably simple, almost spontaneous yet intuitively precise strokes and shapes. The result was a festive, high-spirited atmospheric quality, far away from the sterile and exact likeness that other painters fell victim to when trying to copy Canaletto. The painting here has nothing of the city of Venice in it. On the contrary, we seem to be transported far away into the solitary ocean, with no architecture, nothing to hold on to – only the roaring sea and the dangerous cliffs upon which the ships are just moments away from being crushed upon. It is a maritime composition evoking both Flemish and Italian precursors, in the proud tradition of maritime painting that for centuries formed a crucial part of our visual culture. This genre of painting is today curiously overlooked, compared to how esteemed and meaningful it was when our relationship to the sea was far more natural than it is today. When both people and goods travelled by water, and many nations and cities – Venice among them – depended entirely on sea fare, the existential connection to the ocean was much more natural and integrated into the imagination. The schools and traditions of maritime art are as manifold as there are countries connected to the sea, and all reflect the need to process the dangers and wonders of the ocean. It could symbolize opportunity, the exciting prospects of a new countries and adventures, prospering trade, beautiful scenery as well as war and tragedy, loss of life, danger and doom. To say that water is ambivalent in nature is an understatement, and these many layers were something that artists explored in the most wondrous ways. Perhaps it takes a bit more time for the modern eye to identify the different nuances and qualities of historic maritime paintings, they may on first impression seem hard to differentiate from each other. But when allowing these motifs to unfold and tell stories of the sea in both fiction and reality – or somewhere in between – we are awarded with an understanding of how the oceans truly built our world. In Guardi’s interpretation, we see an almost theatrically arranged shipwrecking scene. No less than five ships are depicted right in the moment of utter disaster. Caught in a violent storm, the waves have driven them to a shore of sharp cliffs and if not swallowed by the waves, crushing against the cliffs seems to be the only outcome. The large wooden ships are impressively decorated with elaborate sculpture, and in fact relics already during Guardi’s lifetime. They are in fact typical of Dutch and Flemish 17th century ships, giving us a clue to where he got the inspiration from. Guardi must have seen examples of Flemish maritime art, that made him curious about these particular motifs. One is reminded of Flemish painters like Willem van de Velde and Ludolf Backhuysen, and this very painting has indeed been mistakenly attributed to Matthieu van Plattenberg...

Dutch painter (18th-19th century) - The spanking. 60 x 99 cm without frame, 67 x 106 cm with frame. Antique oil painting on panel, without frame. Condition report: Wooden support ...

French school of the 18th century After Charles de LA FOSSE (1636 - 1716) The Virgin of the Annunciation Oil on canvas 46 x 37.5 cm (59 x 51 cm with the frame) Beautiful oval frame i...

Como pueden apreciar, la obra no va firmada, es de autor anónimo Se presenta enmarcada la obra con un marco bastante actual El estado de la obra es aceptable, solo comentar que la ...

Oil on Canvas. This is an early copy of the work by Giovanni Battista Salvi, known as Sassoferrato (1609 -1685), now housed in the National Gallery of Umbria (Palazzo dei Priori), wh...

This charming mid-18th-century oil painting depicts a veritable array of revellers holding a feast by a tavern. It’s after a work by Flemish artist, David Teniers the Younger (1610-1...

Italian painter (18th century) - Saint John Nepomuk 65 x 50 cm without frame, 78 x 64 cm with frame. Antique oil painting on canvas, in a gilded wooden frame. Condition report: Li...

Elegant Figures in Interior *see notes below Italian School, mid 18th century most likely of Venetian origin oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 10.75 x 11.75 inches provenance: private ...

Mother & Child British artist, late 18th century after the painting by Sir Anthony van Dyke oil on canvas, unframed canvas : 20 x 18 inches provenance: private collection, Berkshire,...

⭐Landscape ⭐ Seascape from M Dubois probably born in XIX, was a plein air artist ⭐Structural Analysis :⭐ This composition is a rocky coast line in the west coast of France (Brittany...

Portrait Of King Edward VI (1537-1553) King Of England after William SCROTS (1510-1553) Large circa 17th Century portrait of Edward VI, King Of England, oil on canvas. Excellent quality and condition half length portrait of the only surviving son of King Henry VIII and Jane Seymour wearing Prince Of Wale Feathers and the crown upon a pendant. Exceptional quality distinctly similar to the works of court painter William Scrots. Presented in a gilt & ebony frame. Measurements: 40" x 34" framed approx Provenance: The estate of Richard Philip...

"Madonna del Granduca", after Raphael Oil on Canvas: 34 x 22.5 in. Frame: 45 x 33 ½ in. Inscribed verso. Pitti Palace red wax seal verso*. Fine Gilt Carv...

Circle of Carlo Labruzzi A view of Lake Nemi Oil on canvas Canvas Size 26 3/8 x 40 1/2 in Framed Size 35 x 49 in Carlo Labruzzi was an Italian painter, draftsman, and engraver, best...

Italian painter (17th-18th century) - Still life with meat, turkey and game. 70 x 88 cm without frame, 89 x 107 cm with frame. Antique oil painting on canvas, in a carved, gilded a...

The Pilgrim and Angel Spanish School, 17th Century oil on canvas, gilt framed framed: 48 x 37 inches canvas: 43 x 32 inches provenance: private collection, Barcelona, Spain condition...

Our Gallery acquired the estate of a Northern California artist, Thelma Terrell. Terrell lived in Oakland and was an illustrator and profes...

Artist: Adriaen van Stalbemt (Stalbempt) 1580-1662 Title: Abraham and the Sacrifice of His Son Isaac “Das Opfer des Abraham” According to the Old...

Biblical Figures, Large Gathering around Christ? Dutch Old Master, early 17th century oil painting on wood panel, stuck on velvet backing board velvet board: 27 x 29 inches board: 25.5 x 26 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: good and sound condition, obvious old panel...

Figurative illustration of people arriving at a church by Charles Kinghan (American, 1895-1984). The church is rendered with exquisite detail, typical ...

Impressive early American impressionist view of New York City oil painting by Johann Berthelsen (1883 - 1972). Framed. Oil on canvas. Signed. Image size, 12H by 16L.

Escuela Española siglo XVIII Se trata de un óleo sobre tela representando a San Juan Bautista Se presenta sin enmarcar la obra Medidas: 104 x 83 cm. El estado se puede ver, pres...

This superb Dutch Old Master portrait oil painting is attributed as by a follower of Dutch 17th century artist Gerrard van Honthorst. The original of this painting hangs in Wilton House, Wiltshire, home to the 18th Earl and Countess of Pembrokeshire. The painting was previously attributed to Van Dyck by early cataloguers, but after exhaustive comparisons with the two Honthorst brothers' works, it was concluded that Gerrard van Honthorst was the artist who painted the original in Wilton House. Our painting was painted circa 1695 by a follower of Gerrard Honthorst. It was sold to us as circle of Cornelius Johnson. The sitter is Prince Rupert of the Rhine, Duke of Cumberland, Earl of Holderness (1619-1682). He was an English army officer, admiral, scientist, and colonial governor. He first came to prominence as a Royalist cavalry commander during the English Civil War. Rupert was the third son of the German...

Beautiful Dutch School painting dating from 17th century. Oil on wood panel measuring 10 3/8 x 14 7/16 inches. Unsigned. No inpainting or conservation. Depicted is a scene with a beautiful young woman singing...

Andrea Scacciati (Florence 1642-1710) Composition of flowers within embossed vase (2 of 3) oil on canvas 130 x 90 cm In antique frame 145 x 105 cm. Work with expertise by Prof. Emi...

Follower of Nicolas Lancret (Paris 1690 - Paris 1743) - Gallant scene in a landscape. 63.5 x 76 cm without frame, 91 x 102.5 cm with frame. Antique oil painting on canvas, in carve...

This superb vibrant Dutch 18th century Old Master floral oil painting is attributed to circle of Gerard Van Spaendonck. Painted circa 1790, it is a beautiful mixed floral still life flower arrangement in an ornate urn on a marble ledge against a landscape. The flowers include roses, tulips, blue iris and trailing blue morning glory. The carved ornate grey/blue urn on the cream marble ledge create a strong textural contrast with the soft petals and leaves. This is a wonderful example of Dutch 18th century floral oil paintings with fine detail and brushwork. Provenance. Private Collection, UK (by descent). Condition. Oil on canvas, 30 inches by 25 inches unframed and in good condition. Frame. Housed in an ebonised frame, 39 by 34 inches framed and in good condition. Gerard van Spaendonck (1746-1822) was a Dutch painter. Gerard was born in Tilburg, an older brother of Cornelis van Spaendonck...

This superb Dutch Golden Age Old Master landscape oil painting is attributed to Jacob van der Croos. Painted circa 1670 it is an Italianate landscape with figures and their animals i...

Oil on Canvas. Italian School of the 18th century. The man, dressed in black with a white collar, poses in front of a shelf on which rest some objects: a crucifix, a bell, and an ink...

This superb 17th century French Old Master oil painting is attributed to Jean Francois Millet. Painted circa 1670 it is a classical landscape with figures by a bend in a river in the...

Italian painter (18th century) - Arcadian landscape with flock and shepherds. 56 x 70 cm without frame, 63.5 x 79 cm with frame. Antique oil painting on canvas, in a wooden frame. ...

The painting, large in size and with a notable decorative impact, comes from an important private collection, divided between Rome and Paris, and depicts a rural episode set in a lat...

Manner of Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665) French The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist Oil on canvas: 32 x 27 ½ in. Frame: 37 x 33 in. This fabulous and well execut...

Christ Crucified (Christus Patiens) with God the Father, the Virgin and St. John In the manner of 14th century Tuscan painting Tempera on panel Height: 150 cm Width: 99 cm Perform...

Remembering the magic of everyday life moments in the art of David Teniers: The art of David Teniers the Younger (1610–1690) coincided with the heyday of the Flemish Baroque and captured a great variety of motifs of his time. In this painting of a seemingly simple peasant scene lies keys to understanding both the imaginative mind of Teniers as well as why this time period produced some of the most iconic works in all of art history.  As indicated by the name, Teniers was more or less born into his profession. As the son of David Teniers the elder, himself a painter who studied under Rubens, the younger David received training in art from a very young age and had no less than three brothers who also became painters. Because of his father’s frequent financial failures that even at times saw him imprisoned, David the younger helped to rescue the family from ruin through painting copies of old masters. Essentially, the young Teniers was confronted with painting as both a passion and creative expression as well as a necessity during difficult times, an experience that would shape much of his capacity and sensitivity in his coming life. Despite the hardships, the talent and determination of Teniers was recognized and quickly expanded his possibilities. He had already spent time in France and possibly also England when he was hired by his father’s former teacher Rubens to help with a prestigious commission with mythological paintings, now considered lost, for Philip IV the king Spain. In 1644–54 Teniers was appointed dean of the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke, manifesting his esteemed position within the artistic community. A few years afterwards he took an important step when relocating to Brussels, where Teniers yet again found new career opportunities that would prove to be very successful. As the keeper of the collections of Archduke Leopold Wilhelm, a role similar to what we now refer to as an art advisor, Teniers purchased hundreds of important artworks that manifested the prominent status of the Archduke’s collection while at the same time providing an unusual access to inspiration and knowledge for Teniers himself. Since he kept on painting during the same time, his creative scope must have seemed almost bewildering in the great variety of images and stories that he surrounded himself with.  Regardless of how glamorous and culturally stimulating the career of Teniers was, he was as open to the charm and existential importance of everyday life as he was to works of great masters and luxurious collectibles. In his impressive repertoire of genres with everything from exquisite royal portraits, interiors, landscapes and history paintings he always added something new and inventive, highlighting the possibilities of art and importance of an experimental and intuitive mind. It is difficult to single out one aspect or genre to summarize his legacy, since it lies much more in the broad virtuosity across many motifs, although he is particularly remembered for farm scenes and meticulously depicted interiors where other paintings and artworks are captured with an astonishing precision. However, the fact that he is still today one of the most known and celebrated names of the Dutch Golden Age is a proof to the magic of his work, which continues to spark dialogue and wonder in the contemporary viewer of his works. The farm boy in the field in this painting, which likely dates to the mature part of his career, is a wonderful entry into the mind of Teniers. In the tightly cropped motif, we see him standing right in the middle of the busy harvest when men, women and everyone capable were sent out in the field to collect the crop that formed the very core of their diet and survival. In the background we see a fresh blue sky interspersed with skillfully painted clouds, some trees reaching their autumnal colours and in the far distance the glimpse of a small church and village. The presence of a church in a landscape, so typical of Dutch art, served both a symbolic and visual function as a representation of faith while at the same time defining scale and distance. In the field, the work is in full action with the farmers spread out in various positions, all in the midst of hard and sweaty labour. While they are portrayed as having nothing else than the work on their mind, our farm boy seems to have his attention directed elsewhere. Standing there with his white, half open shirt, flowy curls and strong, sturdy body; his gaze is directed away, out of the picture and the scythes in his hands. He looks almost smirking, expressed with tremendous subtlety in the slight smile of his lips and big eyes, being just in the middle of losing focus on the work. What is it that steals his attention? What has he seen, or realized, or felt – to break him free of the arduous task of harvesting, if but for a moment? Here starts the wondering and the questions that are the hallmark of a great piece of art. Instead of explicitly locking in the motif in overly clear symbolism Teniers has chosen an open ended, subtle yet striking moment for us to consider. While it of course can be related to numerous other farm scene depictions of this time, and clever usages of gazes and real-life scenes to underscore various moral or symbolic meanings, the painting can be much more of a contemplation than an explanation or illustration. The ordinary nature and understated yet emotionally textured composition of the motif gives greater space for our own reactions and thoughts. Has he seen a pretty farm girl just passing by? Is he fed up with the farm life, joyously dreaming away for a minute, imagining another future? Or is he simply in need of distraction, looking away and ready for anything that can steal his attention? One quality that never seem to have escaped Teniers was that of curiosity. During all of his career he constantly investigated, expanded and experimented with not only the style and technique of painting, but with the vision of art itself. Being credited with more or less introducing farm motifs for a broader audience not only tells us of his ability to understand the demand for different motifs, but the sensitivity to transform seemingly ordinary parts of life into deep aesthetic experiences, far beyond their expected reach. The farm boy in this painting is, of course, exactly that. But with the help of one smirk the entire picture is charged with a different energy, awakening many contrasts and relationships between the calm landscape, the hard work and his own breach of effectivity, holding sharp scythes while thinking or seeing something else. It is no wonder Teniers chose to work with farm scenes as a way of investigating these intricate and delicate plays on expectations and surprises, clarity and ambivalence. It invites us to an appreciation of human everyday life that connects us with the people of 17th century...

18th-century Spanish Colonial School Attributed to Juan Pedro López (Caracas, Venezuela, 1724 - 1787) Saint Michael the Archangel Oil on canvas 91 x...

Late 17th-century Bolognese painter Circle of Carlo Cignani (Bologna 1628 - Forlì 1719) Noli me tangere ‘’Apparition of Christ to Mary Magdalene‘’ oil on canvas 120 x 92 cm framed ...

Roman School 17th - 18th century Circle of Giovanni Battista Salvi, known as Sassoferrato (Sassoferrato 1609 - Rome 1685) Virgin at Prayer Oil on canvas 48 x 40 cm. Splendid frame ...

Michiel Jansz van Mierevelt (Delft 1566 - 1641) circle Portrait of a gentleman in dark suit with ruff, aged fifty-nine, 1624 Top right family crest, age of the sitter ‘59’, and the d...

18th century English painter William Hogarth (London 1697 - 1764) School of Hudibras Triomphante (from the poem by Samuel Butler) Circa 1740, England Oil on canvas (62 x 50 cm. - F...

Arthur G. Nebra (1880-1955) Swiss. 'Lake in the Mountains' circa 1930's. oiil on canvas 54cm x 73cm including the original frame. Romantic Realism iso...

A captivating Dutch genre painting in the manner of Pieter de Hooch (1629-1684). A couple can be seen taking tea together in a roomy interior with afternoon light flooding in from a ...

The Virgin Mary, oil on panel Italian School Large antique Italian School depiction of the Virgin Mary, oil on panel. Excellent quality and condition study of the Virgin facing lef...

Jan van Gelder, Italianised as Giovanni Vangheldri (Antwerp 1621 – Modena 1685) Portrait of the Duchess Vittoria Farnese d'Este (Parma, 1618 – Modena, 1649) wife of Francesco I d'E...

French painter (18th century) - Flute player and dog. 43.5 x 35 cm without frame, 54 x 45 cm with frame. Antique oil painting on canvas, in a carved and gilded wooden frame. Condi...

Thomas Gooch (1750-1802) 'Waggoner', a greyhound in a landscape Signed and dated 'T. Gooch 1799' lower right Oil on canvas Painting Size - 14 x 17 1/2 in ...

Abraham Janssens (Antwerp, Belgium, 1573 - Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 1632) Title: The Gypsy Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: without frame 116 x 94 cm – with frame 148 x 122 cm Co...

17th century Lombard painter Saint Michael Archangel Oil on canvas 139 x 75 cm. - Framed 156 x 91 cm Antique painting with St. Michael the Archangel, immortalised full-length as a ...

Circle of George Stubbs The Lions Den Oil on canvas Canvas Size 11 x 14 1/2 in Framed Size 17 x 21 in George Stubbs, one of the most celebrated animal painters of the 18th century, ...

Anonymous 15th Century Italian, Probably Milan area The Nativity of Christ Pigments, ink and gold leaf on vellum Unsigned as is always the case with illuminated manuscripts The Virgi...

Oil on Canvas. North Italian school of the late 1700s-early 1800s. In the 'wide landscape, which lets the eye sweep over a vast plain with shaded hills looming on the horizon, an arc...

Thomas Stringer (1722-1790) A groom with a saddled bay hunter and dogs, in an extensive landscape Dated 1754 lower left Oil on canvas Unframed size 25 x 36 in Framed size 31 x 42 in ...

This stunning Old Master oil painting is attributed to a follower of Anthony Van Dyck. Painted in the 18th century it is a superb large religious art work...

Antique American modernist still life oil painting. Oil on canvas. Framed. Signed.

Classic oil painting perfect for the holidays! Horses and hounds with riders in traditional red jackets with green fields, trees and a turquoise blue sky. The painting appears to be...

Artist: Bernd Werner Title: Hebrew School Year: circa 1930 Medium: Oil on Canvas, signed Size: 10.5 x 12.5 in. (26.67 x 31.75 cm) Frame Size: 14 x 16 inches

Ippolito Scarsella, known as Lo Scarsellino (Ferrara, c. 1550 - 1620) workshop Holy Family with the Infant St John oil on arched panel 46 x 29 cm. in a small temple frame 75 x 55 cm This interesting work shows us one of the most sought-after iconographic subjects in the Christian tradition, presented here according to an ancient and proven scheme. We see the Virgin, majestic, in the centre of the scene while holding a chubby child, who is offering a small bird to the young St John (tradition has it that it is a goldfinch, one of the symbols of the passion of Christ) to be caressed. Completing the Holy Family, we can see Saint Joseph in the shadows, apart from the loving everyday scene depicted in the foreground, calmly leaning on his walking stick. Regarding the stylistic characteristics of this small panel, it is easy to recognise the influence of 16th and 17th century Emilian painting, which leads us to confirm its traditional attribution to Ippolito Scarsella (circa 1550 - 1620) from Ferrara, undoubtedly one of the most important artists of this pictorial context. It could very well be a trial sketch...

Portrait of a Noble Lady with her dog attributed to Abraham Lambertsz. van den Tempel, Dutch 1622 - 1672 *see notes below oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 40 x 33.5 inches provenance...