Martín Rico y Ortega

Knoedler, New York (acquired directly from the artist in 1879)
Possibly, Thomas A. Howell, New York
Albert du Vannes, New York
Private Collection, New York (acquired from the above)
Private Collection, New York (acquired from the above, her father)
Private Collection, New York (acquired from the above, his mother)Thence by descent to the present owner (son of the above)

 

Possibly, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York  (lent by Thomas A. Howell according to a paper label affixed to the stretcher)

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This painting has been fairly recently restored and could be hung as is. The canvas has been lined and the surface is stable. The paint layer is probably slightly dirty now and has been varnished and retouched. The retouches have been fairly broadly applied across the top of the sky and around the edges generally. The body of the picture itself seems to be in better state however in amongst the architecture and foliage there may be other restorations. It is more than likely that the restorations which are broadly applied and exaggerate the scale of the actual paint losses requiring restoration, and cleaning and restoration will produce a crisper and less retouched image. However, the picture could also be hung as is.
"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."

Properly known as the Palazzo Santa Sofia, the Ca d'Oro ("Golden House" or "Golden Palace") is one of Venice's oldest palazzos, celebrated for the gilt and polychrome motifs that adorned its walls.  The palazzo was constructed between 1428 and 1430 for the Contarini family by the architect Giovanni Bon and his son Bartolomeo Bon, famous for their work on the Doge's Palace.  In the present composition,  Rico y Ortega depicts in intricate detail the Ca d'Oro's façade facing the Grand Canal. Built in Bon's Venetian Gothic style, the Ca d'Oro's recessed logia, spindly columns, delicate arches, and quatrefoil windows are a blend of medieval and Moorish architectural and decorative elements. Such a famous landmark is an understandable subject for Rico y Ortega, long renowned for his painting of Venice's most famous landmarks. Interestingly, while Rico y Ortega completed numerous compositions of any given Venetian church, palazzo, or canal, the Ca d'Oro is one of his rarer choices of setting. The present work is the only one of its kind listed among studies of Grand Canal architecture in the artist's "carnet de compte."  

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