Roman School, 17th century

With Trafalgar Galleries, London, by 1976;

Thence by descent to the present owner.

London, Trafalgar Galleries, In the Light of Caravaggio, 1976, no. 4 (as Giacomo Galli, known as Spadarino).

B. Cohen, In the Light of Caravaggio, exh. cat., London 1976, pp. 13–16, no. 4, reproduced in colour (as Giacomo Galli, known as Spadarino);

B. Llewellyn and C. McCorquodale, 'In the Light of Caravaggio', in The Connoisseur, 192, June 1976, p. 11, reproduced fig. 3 (as Giacomo Galli, known as Spadarino);

A. Busiri Vici, 'Altri inediti dello Spadarino', in Antologia di Belle Arti, 4, December 1977, pp. 343–46, reproduced fig. 2 (as Giacomo Galli, known as Spadarino);

M. Marini, 'Caravaggio e il naturalismo internazionale', in Storia dell'arte italiana, vol. 6, Turin 1979, p. 370, no. 305, reproduced (as Giovanni Antonio Galli, known as Spadarino);

E. Giffi, 'Per lo Spadarino', in Prospettiva, 50, July 1987, p. 81 n. 43 (as Giovanni Antonio Galli, known as Spadarino);

M Pulini, 'La passiflora di Michele Desubleo', in Accademia Clementina, 35–36, 1995–1996, pp. 107–9, reproduced fig. 93 (as follower of Michele Desubleo);

R. Randolfi, 'Ritrovamenti documentari per Giovanni Antonio Galli detto lo Spadarino', in Studi di Storia dell'Arte, 10, 1999, pp. 76 and 80 n. 51 (as Giovanni Antonio Galli, known as Spadarino);

A. Cottino, Michele Desubleo, Soncino 2001, p. 136, listed under no. 25 (as follower of Michele Desubleo);

G. Papi, Spadarino, Soncino 2003, pp. 27 and 41 nn. 77 and 78 (as follower of Michele Desubleo);

J.T. Spike, 'Spadarino Problems', in Studi di Storia dell'Arte, 16, 2005, pp. 255–56 and 258, reproduced fig. 1 (as Giovanni Antonio Galli, known as Spadarino);

M. Pulini, 'Le due Veneri di Reynaud Levieux, artista prossimo a Desubleo', in Storia dell'arte, 132, 2012, pp. 82–94, reproduced in colour fig. 1 (as Reynaud Levieux).

Executed on a Roman square-set canvas, this alluring depiction of Venus reclining in an arcadian landscape with two doves has been the subject of debate among scholars since its appearance on the London art market in 1976. It was first published the following year by Busiri Vici who identified the composition as a work by Giacomo Galli (1597–1649), the lesser-known younger brother of Giovanni Antonio Galli (1585–after 1651).¹ Rather confusingly, both artists were known by the sobriquet ‘Spadarino’ (‘little sword’), as their family, originally from Florence, were swordsmiths.

Since then, the work has been widely published, with attributions ranging from Giacomo Galli (Busiri Vici 1977), Giovanni Antonio Galli (Marini 1979, Giffi 1987, Randolfi 1999 and Spike 2005), follower of Michele Desubleo (Pulini 1995–96, Cottino 2001 and Papi 2003) and more recently to Reynaud Levieux (Pulini 2012), a French artist from Provence documented in Rome from 1635.² While none of these attributions has gained widespread support, the painting shares stylistic affinities with the aforementioned artists, all of whom were active in the Eternal City during the first half of the 17^th century.

This attributional dilemma is further complicated by the existence of another analogous composition, tentatively attributed to Domenichino by Sir Denis Mahon,³ in the York Museum and Art Gallery, York.⁴ The latter replicates almost exactly the design of the present work, although the figure of Venus is shown frontally, gazing at the viewer, wearing a multicoloured turban and gauzy fabric across her waist. As noted by John T. Spike, ‘the effect is more like a courtesan in a boudoir rather than a goddess of antiquity’, contrasting with the ‘perfect ‘classical’ nudity’ of this version.⁵ The two canvases are clearly related, however the nature of their relationship remains something of a mystery. 

¹ Busiri Vici 1977, pp. 343–46, reproduced fig. 2.

² Pulini 2012, pp. 82–94, reproduced in colour fig. 1.

³ Spike 2005, p. 255.

⁴ Inv. no. 813; oil on canvas; 113 x 167 cm.; https://www.yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk/collections/search/item/?id=20000799

⁵ Spike 2005, p. 255.