Nicola van Houbraken Messina circa 1660 - 1723 Tuscany

We are grateful to Dott. Mario Goli Sassoli for endorsing the attribution to Van Houbraken on the basis of a colour transparency. Dott. Goli Sassoli has pointed out this painting's similarity in composition to a painting by Van Houbraken (130 by 172 cm.) in the Museo Civico, Livorno. Although the composition here is fuller and enlarged, the paintings share a number of common elements; the red-leaved potted plant, lilies, and cardoons among them. A parrot in the Livorno painting has here been substituted with a wine-glass and bread-roll on a plate, and Van Houbraken has also added other still life elements such as the rose plant centre right, the dog and the basket of apples.