Olga Ciardi

Antique 19thC. Italian Florentine Painted Gothic Renaissance Panels Olga Ciardi

circa 1850

A rare & important Italian Renaissance tempera on parchment painting, Giuseppe Cesari Il Cavalier d'Arpino (Giuseppe Cesari, 1568-1640), the painting c...

Antique late 18th Century Baroque, Netherlandish/Flemish Gilt Wood Triptych Painting, egg tempera on panel, circa 1780, "Saint Tobias and The Angel". The gilt wood case with iron strap hinges and gilded decoration, the central panel painted with an allegory of Saint Tobias. The triptych evidently influenced by the Italian Renaissance work of Verrocchio's altar painting...

A very good antique oil on panel costume genre painting by the celebrated Northern Italian artist, Francesco Vinea (1845-1902), the painting dated signed and dated 1873. Vinea studied at The Academy of Fine Arts in Florence and then worked as a designer of illustrated periodicals, he returned to Florence and studied under professor Enrico Pollestrini. Vinea unapologetically produced incredibly high quality humorous and whimsical scenes that were always elegant and depicted figures in period costume situated in lavishly ornamented interiors. Vinea became quite famous and wealthy in his lifetime and his work was particularly sought after in France, England and The United States. The 19th Century American art collector James Jackson...

A good antique Dutch/Flemish oil on panel painting, after Cornelis van Poelenburgh, circa 1850. The painting portrays a number of nude and partially robed nymphs dancing in a bucolic...

A fine & important Scottish oil on canvas painting; a landscape of Tantallon Castle in East Lothian, by Horatio McCulloch (1805-1867) R.S.A. The painting circa 1850. This very hands...

A Large and impressive antique oil on canvas Pre-Raphaelite painting by the German artist, Hermann Frobenius (1871-1954), signed and dated 1900. Frobenius had classical training and studied both in Rome and Florence, he later was in the circle of Arnold Bocklin and Hans von Marees, he settle in Munich but also in Dresden briefly and latterly in Berlin. He, like many other European painters was fascinated with North Africa and painted many oriental scenes of Algiers, Tunis and Cairo, he was represented at many exhibitions, including the "Great German Art Exhibition" in Munich 1941. This painting (an early example of the artist's work) is very finely painted in the Pre Raphaelite style, depicting a medieval costumed...

Icilio Federico Joni. Italian ( b.1866 - d.1946 ). Painted Gesso, Gilt and Wood Tavolette Book Cover Binding in the Sienese Biccherna Style Book Cover size 11 inches x 8.1 inches ( 28cm x 20.5cm ). Frame size 16 inches x 13 inches ( 40.5cm x 33cm ). Available for sale; this painted gesso and gilt “tavolette” wooden book cover in the Biccherna style is by Icilio Federico Joni. The book cover is mounted and supplied in a contemporary black Tulip Wood frame (which is shown in these photographs) which is glazed with non-reflective Tru Vue UltraVue® UV70 glass. The wooden book cover is curved and float mounted giving a wonderful 3D depth to its presentation. The gesso and painted surfaces have benefitted from professional restoration which was performed on our instruction, supervision and approval. This antique book cover is now in very good condition, commensurate with its age. The frame presentation is new and in excellent condition. Combined, it wants for nothing and is supplied ready to hang and display. The story of these panels and of their artist is fascinating, and begins in 13th century Siena: The Biccherna was the person who held the position of Magistrate of Chancellery of Finance from the 13th to the 14th century for the republic and the city of Siena, in the Tuscany region of Italy. The records of that office were very important because Siena was one of the earliest and most significant banking centres in Italy, and indeed in Europe. It became the fashion to keep banking and taxation records of the region in large books with painted leather covers. These were originally made from wood and leather. In the competition to make these ever more prestigious the bindings and panels on the front and rear of the books were painted by the major artists of the day, such as Giovanni di Paolo. Many of these mainly secular covers are displayed in the Archives of the State of Siena located in the Palazzo Piccolmini. The Gothic Revival of the 19th century occurred partly as a reaction against the progress of industrialisation in Europe generally. It was however greatly affected by the unification of Italy in the second half of the 19th century. This led to the closure and downsizing of many religious institutions, which resulted in the dispersal of thousands of works of art dating from the Middle Ages and early Renaissance. Many aristocratic and bourgeois families struggled to pay debts or simply to make ends meet and so they sold off their private collections and family heirlooms. There was then an influx of goods into the antiques market which provided a great deal of work for Italy’s restorers and craftsmen, since many of these pieces were in need of cleaning, repair and, in keeping with the interventionist tastes of the times, radical restoration, before they could be sold on, often to foreign buyers. These early Italian works became so fashionable that demand soon outstripped supply. This in turn gave rise to a new type of artist-craftsman capable of turning out from scratch increasingly convincing reproductions, imitations and out-and-out fakes. Siena naturally became the epicentre of this thriving cottage industry because of the extraordinary continuity there in traditional craft skills. This technical expertise had been handed down from generation to generation, and it was perhaps inevitable that a number of artists with real talent, the flair of commerce and a genuine love and understanding of antique Sienese art should adapt their skills to these new market conditions. Among these artists were Igino Gottardi, Alceo Dossena, Fulvio Corsini, Umberto Giunti...

Icilio Federico Joni. Italian ( b.1866 - d.1946 ). Painted Gesso, Gilt and Wood Tavolette Book Cover Binding in the Sienese Biccherna Style Book Cover size 11 inches x 8.1 inches ( 28cm x 20.5cm ). Frame size 16 inches x 13 inches ( 40.5cm x 33cm ). Available for sale; this painted gesso and gilt “tavolette” wooden book cover in the Biccherna style is by Icilio Federico Joni. The book cover is mounted and supplied in a contemporary black Tulip Wood frame (which is shown in these photographs) which is glazed with non-reflective Tru Vue UltraVue® UV70 glass. The wooden book cover is curved and float mounted giving a wonderful 3D depth to its presentation. The gesso and painted surfaces have benefitted from professional restoration which was performed on our instruction, supervision and approval. This antique book cover is now in very good condition, commensurate with its age. The frame presentation is new and in excellent condition. Combined, it wants for nothing and is supplied ready to hang and display. The story of these panels and of their artist is fascinating, and begins in 13th century Siena: The Biccherna was the person who held the position of Magistrate of Chancellery of Finance from the 13th to the 14th century for the republic and the city of Siena, in the Tuscany region of Italy. The records of that office were very important because Siena was one of the earliest and most significant banking centres in Italy, and indeed in Europe. It became the fashion to keep banking and taxation records of the region in large books with painted leather covers. These were originally made from wood and leather. In the competition to make these ever more prestigious the bindings and panels on the front and rear of the books were painted by the major artists of the day, such as Giovanni di Paolo. Many of these mainly secular covers are displayed in the Archives of the State of Siena located in the Palazzo Piccolmini. The Gothic Revival of the 19th century occurred partly as a reaction against the progress of industrialisation in Europe generally. It was however greatly affected by the unification of Italy in the second half of the 19th century. This led to the closure and downsizing of many religious institutions, which resulted in the dispersal of thousands of works of art dating from the Middle Ages and early Renaissance. Many aristocratic and bourgeois families struggled to pay debts or simply to make ends meet and so they sold off their private collections and family heirlooms. There was then an influx of goods into the antiques market which provided a great deal of work for Italy’s restorers and craftsmen, since many of these pieces were in need of cleaning, repair and, in keeping with the interventionist tastes of the times, radical restoration, before they could be sold on, often to foreign buyers. These early Italian works became so fashionable that demand soon outstripped supply. This in turn gave rise to a new type of artist-craftsman capable of turning out from scratch increasingly convincing reproductions, imitations and out-and-out fakes. Siena naturally became the epicentre of this thriving cottage industry because of the extraordinary continuity there in traditional craft skills. This technical expertise had been handed down from generation to generation, and it was perhaps inevitable that a number of artists with real talent, the flair of commerce and a genuine love and understanding of antique Sienese art should adapt their skills to these new market conditions. Among these artists were Igino Gottardi, Alceo Dossena, Fulvio Corsini, Umberto Giunti...

Italian painting of Alphonsus Liguori in French Neo-Gothic Frame Italian and French, Late 18th and 19th Century Frame: Height 61cm, width 39cm, depth 6cm Panel: Height 28cm, width 22...

Florentine painter (19th century) - Madonna with Child on a gold background. 77 x 58 cm. Oil on polylobed panel. Condition report: Good state of conservation of the pictorial surf...

Scandinavian Family Portrait Artist 18th century 18th Century Scandinavian School Signature: Not signed Medium: Miniature Dimensions: Image size diameter 11 cm, frame size 19 x 16 cm

The Virgin of Tijvin (after a Russian icon in the style of the 18th Century). Egg tempera and gold leaf on gesso over wood. Measurements in centimeters: 45 x 36.5 x 3 cm / In inch...