Attributed to Francesco Giuseppe Casanova

The canvases have a modern glue relining but the paint surfaces retain a lovely strong impasto. The paint surfaces are clean and fresh beneath clear varnishes. The canvas depicting the seated lady has a small repaired L shaped vertical tear of approximately 2 in. in the sky upper center which is faintly visible. Inspection under ultra violet reveals retouching to a filled V shaped tear in the sky upper center of approximately 6 in. and a small area of filled and retouched damage of approximately 2 in. diameter in the background, upper right. There are fine lines of retouching to the stretcher marks in the sky, some minor strengthening in the page boy holding the umbrella and very minor retouches scattered here and there. In the second canvas, a horizontal filled and retouched L shaped tear of approximately 5 in. fluoresces in the upper right section of the sky, there is some minor inpainting in the rocks at right and in the lower left corner. Otherwise there are similar fine retouched lines to marks from the stretcher bars and very minor scattered retouches. The paintings have been very sensitively restored and are ready to hang in their present state. Offered in decoratively carved painted and gilt wood frames.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Though primarily known for his frenetic battle scenes, Casanova did produce calmer works more akin to his contemporaries Claude-Joseph Vernet and Jean-Baptiste Lallemand. His early training under the likely tutelage of Gian Antonio Guardi certainly imbued his artistic sensibilities with an appreciation for harbor scenes, and these beautifully colored canvases come extremely close to similarly rendered pictures that Casanova produced in the late 1760s, for instance a Ferry Boat scene in the Dulwich Picture Gallery (inv. DPG 138).