Figurative Paintings on Sale

"Cherubs" (A) Pen and Ink drawing of Putto Italian School Late 17th early 18th century. Pen and ink on paper 6 ½ x 17 ½ (22 ½ x 11 ½) inches Antique scenes of putto and a faun cele...

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...

Pair of very decorative Italian Still-life paintings of flowers with vases and classical figures . 18th century, oil on canvas, with original gilt-wood frames. This pair is an exce...

This portrait is extremely important in the reconstruction of the corpus and of the life of the artist thanks to a significant inscription on the back of the canvas that says “Ritrat...

Mannerism, derived from the Italian term "maneria," which simply means "style," was an artistic movement that emerged in the later years of the Italian High Renaissance, around 1520, and extended into the early 17th century. It is often referred to as the "stylish style" due to its emphasis on self-conscious artifice rather than realistic depiction. Historians debate whether Mannerism should be classified as a style, a movement, or a period. In contrast to the harmonious ideals embraced by renowned artists such as Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci, Mannerist painters took a step further and created compositions that were almost bizarre. They introduced fresh color schemes, elongated proportions, and exaggerated anatomy of figures, portraying them in convoluted and serpentine poses. These artists skillfully exhibited their techniques and abilities, aiming to evoke a sense of sophisticated elegance. Among the notable Mannerist painters are Jacopo da Pontormo, Bronzino, Lavinia Fontana...

Tempera on paper, applied to hardboard. The biblical episode depicted, described in the book of Exodus, tells how young Moses, still at the court of the Pharaoh of Egypt, defends the...

Mythological Scene is a mixed colored painting on board realized by Anonymous artist in the XVIII century. The artwork represents a mythological scene with women and cherubs. Inclu...

Portrait of the daughter of Francois Boucher, Marie-Emilie Baudouin, holding a basket of flowers. Pastel on Parchment. The work is related to an oval portrait painting...

Oil painting on canvas. French school of the seventeenth century. The scene, set at night in the garden of a villa, of which you can glimpse the ornate facade on the right and in which the fountain gushing with cherubs stands out, under a dark sky and further obscured by heavy clouds, proposes two figures who entertain each other in conversation : an elderly modestly dressed is sternly admonishing a seated young man, richly dressed, who seems instead to make the gesture of mea culpa with his hand. The physiognomy and the gestures of the two characters, together with the style of the clothes, would refer to the philosopher Aristotle who was called to the court of Macedon to be the tutor...

Portrait of Johann Quantz (1697-1773), flautist and composer, wearing a blue velvet coat, waistcoat and breeches, standing in a garden landscape with ...

Wonderful 18th century English gouache on paper of a 18th century English scene of a man on his horse with his dog in a landscape One of a set of five all framed in Hogarth frames. ...

"Cherubs" (B) Pen and Ink drawing of Putto Italian School Late 17th early 18th century. Pen and ink on paper 6 ½ x 17 ½ (22 ½ x 11 ½) inches Antique scenes of putto and a faun cele...

THOMAS BEACH (1738-1806) Two Children Oil on canvas Canvas size : 50 x 40 inches (127 x 102 cms) Framed size : 57 x 47 inches (145 x 120 cms) Frame : Early 20th century carved ...

Oil on canvas. Central European School. The scene is set in the shop of a barber, who is intent on cutting a man's hair under the watchful eye of other customers and, above all, of s...

Wonderful 18th century Irish or English portrait, attributed to the Irish painter Nathaniel Hone. Nathaniel Hone was born in Dublin but by 1748 had set...

A Tavern Interior - 18th Century Old Master, Figurative Oil Painting by Schaak Little is known about the artist J.S.C. Schaak. He was active in England as a portraitist between 1760-1770. His name indicates his German or Dutch origin. Especially portraits of generals...

Outstanding early 18th century English portrait of James Bellevue. The portrait was always believed to be the work of Sir Godfrey Kneller who was known to have painted James Bellevu...

The painting and the preparatory drawing are offered together. Provenance Private collection, Germany, Trier, c. 1980- 2013 Saint John the Baptist Brown ink and wash over red chalk on oatmeal paper 31 x 20.5 cm Inscribed: „Ferrau Fenzonio da Faenza invt. esque … imp. da Fran. Villamena …“. bears the collector's mark of Henry Scipio Reitlinger (1882-1950; Lugt 2274a) on a tiny label glued to the verso On the reverse is a partial drawing of a Pieta, pricked for transfer. Provenance New York, Doyle, 14. October 2015, No. 6 The painting and the preparatory drawing resemble the composition of an engraving after Ferraù Fenzoni by Francesco Villamena. Drawing, engraving and painting are almost identical, except for minor differences. Even the measurements nearly correspond: painting (32 x 25,5 cm), drawing (30 x 20,5 cm), engraving (31,1 x 23,5 cm). Dr. Guiseppe Scavizzi confirmed the attribution of the present panting to Fenzoni and he dates it to c. 1590. The inscription on the drawing reads “Ferrau Fenzonio da Faenza invt. esque. . . imp. da Fran: Villamena . . .”. The engraving’s inscription also lists place and date “Ferra Fensionius inventor/F. Villamoena sculpsit Rome/Aspectu fruitur… antra puer/cum Privilegio… 1613”. Interestingly, the engraving is not mirrored as it is in most printing processes. Painting, drawing and engraving are not reversed but the same. It is remarkable to note that there are further paintings by Fenzoni which were engraved in the same order and not reverted. They also show strong parallels regarding the compositions and the measurements (see for example “Deposition of Christ” ). Ferraù Fenzoni was an Italian painter mainly active in Todi. He is also called Il Faenzone after his birthplace (Faenza). He apprenticed in Rome during the papacy of Gregory XIII and contributed to numerous fresco cycles under pope Sixtus V, such as the Loggia della Benedizioni in the Lateran Palace, the frescoes on the walls and vaults of the Scala Santa of the adjacent Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, and the decoration in the Sistine library. His expressive canvases straddle the styles of Mannerism and Baroque. In 1594, he moved to Todi. A “Last Judgement” by him is housed in the cathedral of Todi. He returned to Faenza in 1599, where he decorated chapels in the cathedral from 1612 to 1616. In 1622, he completed a “Deposition”, now in the local Pinacoteca. In 1640, Fenzoni was named “cavaliere dello speron d’oro” by Cardinal Colonna and, on 25th April 1634, he was nominated vicar and “castellano of Granarolo”. Fenzoni‘s style is characterized by a mixture of the Mannerism of the Northern Netherlands and the Italian Baroque. Saint John the Baptist, Old Master, 17th Century, By Fenzoni, Religious Scene, Rome Art...

St. Nicholas of Tolentino (1245-1305) Italian School, 17th century oil painting on canvas, canvas: 10 x 8 inches provenance: private collection, Germany Very fine and rare 17th century Italian Old...

In 2001 the German art historian Art historian and Raphael Expert, Prof. Jürg Meyer zur Capellen, published the painting "Die Heilige Familie" in a monographic article, ascribing the present work to the Venetian painter Giovanni Battista Pittoni (1687 -Venice - 1767). (Newspaper "Weltkunst", October 2001, No 12, p. 1850 f. ill.) He describes it as a typical work by this artist. Pittoni was one of the most influential and successful artists of the Venetian Settecento. He was a pupil of the Veronese Master Giovanni Balestra (1666-1740). His style is influenced by Sebastiano Ricci (1659-1734) and Giambattista Tiepolo (1696-1770). Giovanni Battista Pittoni was already successful at a young age and soon lead his own workshop. He created large-scale hitoria paintings, as well as large, religious altarpieces. In addition to Venetian and Upper Italian patrons, Pittoni also had many interested parties from Europe. His work is accordingly scattered in many different museums and private collections today. Pittoni - like other painter colleagues of his time - repeated his own compositions both by hand and with the help of his workshop. He repeatedly incorporated details into other pictures and contexts. Prof. Meyer zur Capellen noted the very good condition of the present work and the high quality of the paint with fine graduations and the vivid brushstrokes. Provenance: The panting has not been on the art market for at least 300 years. In the year 2000 the work was donated by the Münster-based, Noble Family Ketteler zu Harkotten to a private collection in Westphalia. Most probably the canon Nikolaus Hermann von Ketteler zu Harkotten bought the piece in Venice in 1750 together with the altarpiece of the Clemens Church in Münster. On the reverse of the work is a fideicommissum number by Ketteler zu Harkotten. As it belonged to the family commission, the painting was inalienable until 1919, when the corresponding law was repealed, and after that time it remained in the family's possession without interruption. Pittoni's only direct relationship to Münster is the commission for the high altar painting of the Baroque St. Clemens Church. It can be assumed that then canon von Ketteler saw this painting in the artist's workshop during his stay in Venice and acquired it for himself. This would also explain the discrepancy in dating. (ca. 1735/1750). However, it is also possible that the painting originated in the possession of Ferdinand von Plettenberg...

18th Century European Portrait of a Child Saint John the Baptist Oil on Canvas 19 x 14 1/4 inches This lovely and sensitively painting has been examined by a professional restorer w...

Thomas Willeboirts Bosschaert Pan plays to the dance of the putti Thomas Willeboirts Bosschaert (1614 Bergen op Zoom - 1654 Antwerp) Pan plays to the dance of the putti Oil sketch Oil on canvas, 35 x 51 cm Provenance: Belgian private collection, ca. 1980 to 2020. The oil sketch shows a flute-playing man with dark curls sitting at the left edge of the picture in a recess draped with cloth. In the lower left corner, a fallen bowl with leaking water can be seen. The right half of the picture shows a circle of five dancing putti, whereby the left putti can be recognized as a satyr due to the goat legs. The background is dominated by a dark mountain landscape. In the sky a rising or setting sun can be guessed. It is possible that the flute player represents Bacchus, the god of wine and ecstasy. This fits with the flute as a symbol of celebration, as well as the bowl of water, which could refer to Bacchus' mother, Lethe. Lethe is a river in the underworld, which at the same time symbolizes "oblivion". Thus, the spilling water bowl is not only a reference to this river, but it also symbolizes "oblivion". Moreover, Bacchus is usually depicted with satyrs in his retinue, which would explain the putto with goat legs. However, the interpretation of the flute player as the god Pan would be possible. He is usually shown with his flute and associated with dance. Moreover, he is native to the mountainous landscape of Arcadia. The present work is an oil sketch, i.e. a preparatory study. This is suggested by the partly unfinished parts, as well as the structure of the picture. Some parts are already almost completely laid out, such as the flute player, while others, for example the horizon and also the figures of the putti, are only sketched in outline. The painting can be attributed to the Baroque painter Thomas Willeboirts Bosschaert. This attribution was also confirmed by Prof. Hans Vlieghe. Bosschaert lived and worked in Antwerp with Peter Paul Rubens and Anthonis van Dyck, among others. He studied with Gerard Seghers...

Religious Painting, depicting Madonna and the Child, surrounded by Angels by the Circle of Carlo Maratta (Maratti). This painting is wonderful example of...

18th century, antique painting, oil on canvas, old master. Mother with child. Relined canvas. Stretcher frame also renewed. Artist unknown.

Gillis Claeissens Portrait of a Lady, probably "Anne Joigny-de Pamele" Oil on wood, 35,5 x 28 cm Gillis Claeissens has only recently been rediscovered as an important portrait painter of the 16th century. He received his training in the studio of his father, Pieter I Claeissens. Gillis became a freemaster of the St Luke's Guild in Brussels in 1566 and worked at the court of Alexander Farnese in Brussels between 1589 and 1592. Later he was also court painter to the Archdukes Albert and Isabella. After his return to Bruges, he created portraits of high Bruges society. It was only through the Forgotten Masters exhibition in Bruges in 2018 that the work of Gillis Claeissens was rediscovered. The present painting recently turned up in a private collection and was confirmed as a typical work by Claeissens by Mrs Oosterwijk at the Museum Groeninghe in Bruges. Gillis Claeissens or Egidius Claeissens (Bruges, 1526 – Bruges, 17 December 1605) was a Flemish painter of portraits and altarpieces and a member of a prominent family of artists originating in Bruges. It has only been possible to distinguish Gillis Claeissens' work from that of his father and siblings after scholars discovered a contract with the artist for the painting of a tryptich. It was further discovered in 2015 that he artist can be identified with the Monogrammist G.E.C. These discoveries have allowed to recognise Gillis Claeissens as an important portraitist alongside Pieter Pourbus in 16th century Bruges. Portrait Paintung, Old Master, Bruges School, Bruges Painting...

French School, circa 1720's circle of Nicolas Lancret (1690-1743) oil painting on canvas 15 x 23 inches provenance: private collection, UK Fine depic...

THE ANNUNCIATION TO THE SHEPERDS Italy, 17th Century Painting on agate in an ebonised wood, gilt bronze and semi-precious stone frame 38 x 31 cm - 15 x 12 1/4 in with frame 14 x 8.5 cm - 5 1/2 x 3 1/4 in without frame Although quite rare, across the centuries the art of painting on stone...

Attributed to Giovanni Battista Merano (Genoa 1632 - Piacenza 1698) Pair of winged cherubs with chains Genoese school, around 1670-80 Oil on canvas, 67 x 57 cm. Framed 89 x 78 cm. This pleasant painting, depicting a pair of winged cherubs, is attributed to Genoese Giovan Battista Merano (Genoa 1632 - Piacenza 1698), trained in Genoa first in the workshop of Giovanni Andrea De Ferrari, and then of Valerio Castello, of whom he became one of the best students. It was probably the latter who advised the student to stay in the then Duchy of Parma to study Correggio and Parmigianino, as he had done in his time. During this first stay in Parma Giovanni Battista worked on the fresco decoration of the oratory...

Very decorative, 17th century, old master painting, oil on canvas, King Alexander Magnus, the great. Illustration of two children, putti, with wreaths of flowers on a board (or maus...

Antique Rococo Oil Painting, around 1800, Royal Dance in the Garden Oil on canvas. Canvas relined. Stretcher renewed. Dimensions are without fra...

Early 17th-century copper painting depicting a religious scene, School Annunciation, Oil on Copper attributed to Cornelis SCHUT, painter of Antwerp (159...

17th century, old master painting, oil on canvas, "The rest with the horses". Relined canvas. The stretcher was also renewed once. The painting is rather dark, like i.a. on photo n...

Expressive depiction of Christ being aided by Simon of Cyrene by an unknown artist, Italiante School style of 17th-century Northern European painters principally Dutch, c.1700s-1800s. This piece is composed of oil on linen, laid down on fiberboard. Presented in a giltwood frame. Image size: 42"H x 33"W. Italianate painters, group of 17th-century northern European painters, principally Dutch, who traveled in Italy and, consciously adopting the style of landscape painting that they found there, incorporated Italian models and motifs into their own works. Chief among the Italianates were Bartholomeus Breenbergh, Andries and Jan Both, Nicolaes Berchem, and Jan Asselijn...

The panels were designed ad decorations for 18th century french drugstores, and can be compared to those designed by the same Peyrotte (who was painter and furnitures designer for th...

Flemish Baroque painting. Romantic scene. Signed and dated. J. HOREMANS 1760. This 100% authentic painting captivates with its powerful colors. A real eye-catcher. Dimensions witho...

Olio su tela. Tradizionale raffigurazione del Crocifisso, attorniato dai Santi legati al culto del committente. In questo caso si hanno la Maddalena, abbracciata al palo della Croc...

Follower of Rosalba Carriera (Venice 1673 - there 1757) - Portrait of a lady. 51 x 42 cm without frame, 79 x 67 cm with frame. Antique pastel painting on paper, in a carved, perfor...

Giovanni Domenico Ferretti, known as L'Imola (Florence 1692 - Florence 1768) - Sketch with mythological allegory. 52 x 66 cm without frame, 64 x 78.5 cm with frame. Antique oil pai...

Italian master (17th century) - Knight greets his wife. 68 x 85cm. Oil on canvas, unframed. Condition report: Painted on the first canvas. Good state of conservation of the pictor...

The painting copies a reproduction print after a painting by the French artist Nicolas Vleughels (Paris, 1668-Rome,1737). Edme Jeaurat made the print from 1719. Erato -the muse of love poetry- writes down a love poem that Amor whispers to her and holds a lyre in her other hand. Euterpe -the muse of lyric poetry- with her flutes shows that the pastoral poems are hers. The swans – the animals that pull the chariot of the goddess Venus- symbolize beauty and grace. Although the painter has done his best to reproduce the print, his work shows some weaknesses. Most striking is the rather poor anatomy of Euterpe’s shoulders. Her head also seems randomly stuck to them. The original painting by Nicolas Vleughels was part of a series of four paintings...

George Morland (1763 London - 1804 Brighton). Sheltering from the Storm. Oil on canvas, relined, 37.5 x 29.5 cm (visible size), 53.5 x 45.5 cm (frame), signed and dated at lower left...

Portrait of a lady, seated on an ornamental garden terrace, wearing a russet coloured dress adorned with pearls and jewels, by Caspar Netscher, c.1680....