Genoese School, 17th Century

Gustaf Adolf Sparre (1746-1794);
Sparre inv., 1794, no. 27.

Göthe, 1895, pp. 28-9, no. 71, as Venetian School, 17th Century;
Hasselgren, 1974, p. 115, reproduced p. 191, as School of Van Dyck. 

"The following condition report has been provided by Henry Gentle, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. The original canvas is lined, the lining is of some age. The paint surface is dry and there is some minor paint loss along the visible stretcher marks. There is restoration visible to the edges 1cm in, perhaps reclaimed tacking edge. The discoloured varnish covers some further minor paint loss and there is some abrasion to the surface in the sketchy area lower left. The paint is otherwise in good condition."
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

The traditional attribution to Schidone was rightly rejected by Göthe.  Earlier, Lucas von Breda discussed it in his articles on Swedish collections in the Stockholm Post of 1791-2, as depicting the Suicide of Mark-Anthony and attributable to Van Dyck.  The influence of Van Dyck is indeed palapable, but this is clearly an Italian picture, and it seems reasonable to suppose that it is the work of a Genoese follower.  We are grateful to Dr. Mary Newcome-Schleier for tentatively suggesting an attribution to Giovanni Battista Merano (Genoa 1632-1698/1700) on the basis of a photograph.