Lot 37
  • 37

Gaetano Chierici

Estimate
80,000 - 120,000 GBP
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Description

  • Gaetano Chierici
  • La maschera
  • signed and dated Chierici / Gaetano / 1874 centre left
  • oil on canvas
  • 76 by 109cm., 30 by 43in.

Provenance

Possibly, Mr Lloyd Tevis, San Francisco (acquired from the artist)
S. P. Avery, New York
The Corcoran Museum of Fine Art, Washington, D.C.
Frost & Reed, London
Sale: Christie's, London, 4 May 1973, lot 121
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Exhibited

Bath, Bath Festival, Victoria Art Gallery, 1969 (as Fun and Fright)

Condition

The canvas has been relined. Ultra-violet light reveals numerous clustered strokes of retouching primarily in the background; some of these have faintly discoloured over time and are just visible in the catalogue illustration, notably those in the floor below the door and in the wall above the centre. With the exception of some minor retouching in the boy's trousers, there do not appear to be notable signs of retouching to any of the figures. As visible in the illustration, there are also some scattered spots in the background which appear to correspond to staining. The overall appearance of the work otherwise is good, and its appearance could be enhanced with conservation if desired as outlined above. Presented in a decorative gilt frame.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

By the 1880s, Gaetano Chierici was already a highly sought after painter, with exhibitions in Italy and abroad and wealthy commissioners around the world. Although he trained and lived in Florence during the key years of the Macchiaioli group, he was never drawn to what could be considered the Italian equivalent of the Impressionist group. On the contrary, he developed such a realist style in his attention to details, that critics have often compared him to sixteenth-century Flemish artists. 

Chierici’s works might at first seem quite staged to the viewer. Usually set in a house interior, they often capture an intimate moment in the day of a poor family in nineteenth-century Italy. Although the attention to detail and the study behind the composition are impressive, Chierici’s works are neither stiff nor dull. In fact, the artist is able to bring to life his pictures with great care and love towards every single person or object just as it transpires in this work, La Maschera, where a little boy scares his mother by surprising her in the kitchen wearing a grotesque mask.

Painted in 1874, this is one of the numerous versions of the subject painted by the artist. When the first version of La Maschera (1869, Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan) was exhibited, the success was immediate. Chierici painted several further versions and, depending on the buyer's budget, would customize the versions according to details and size. A letter to the artist dated 10 March 1874, reveals that Cheirici was working on a version of La Maschera for Mr Lloyd Tevis in San Francisco, banker and president of Wells Fargo Company.