Gregorio de Ferrari Porto Maurizio, Imperia 1647 - 1726 Genoa

Frankfurt, Schirn Kunsthalle, Kunst in der Republik Genua 1528-1815, 5 September - 8 November 1992, no. 83 (as Domenico Piola).

M. Newcome Schleier, in Kunst in der Republik Genua, exhibition catalogue, Frankfurt, Schirn Kunsthalle, 5 September - 8 November 1992, p. 166, cat. no. 83, reproduced in colour plate 82 (as Domenico Piola);
M. Newcome Schleier, "Gregorio de Ferrari and the influence of Domenica Fiasella on his work", in Antichità viva, vol. 4, 1994, reproduced fig. 6 (as Gregorio de Ferrari); 
M. Newcome Schleier, Gregorio de Ferrari, Turin 1998, pp. 25-26, cat. no. 8, reproduced (as Gregorio de Ferrari); 
D. Sanguineti, Domenico Piola, Soncino 2004, vol. I, p. 111 and p. 134, footnote 133, reproduced fig. 72 (as Gregorio de Ferrari).

"The following condition report has been provided by Hamish Dewar, an independent restorer, address: 14 Mason's Yard, Duke Street, St James's, London SW1Y 6BU, tel: +44 (0)20 7930 4004, fax: +44 (0)20 7930 4100, email: hamish@hamishdewar.co.uk. UNCONDITIONAL AND WITHOUT PREJUDICE Structural Condition The canvas has been lined and this is providing a stable and secure structural support and has successfully stabilised the overall craquelure pattern. Paint Surface The paint surface has a rather glossy varnish layer and revarnishing with a more sympathetic surface coating could be considered. Extensive retouchings are visible under ultra-violet light and there would appear to have been two stages of inpainting. The most significant of these retouchings are: 1) infilling of craquelure in the flesh tones of the angel in the upper left of the composition, 2) lines filling craquelure on the back of St. Andrew and on the right shoulder of the standing male figure, and 3) a number of retouchings in the upper left corner and around the framing edges. There are a number of other retouchings scattered across the paint surface. Summary The painting is therefore in stable condition with a number of retouchings having been applied in the past and requires only revarnishing."
"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."

This is a fine example of Gregorio's early style, in which his figure types closely resemble those of Domenico Piola (to whom the painting was formerly attributed; see Exhibited and Literature below). The background figures recall those in Piola's frescoes of 1666-67 in the church of SS. Gerolamo e Francesco Saverio, Genoa.¹ It is possible that Piola's rendering of the subject for the left wall of the church of Sant' Andrea (now lost) was the source for this composition, so closely does the work resemble Piola.  However, the head of Saint Andrew may well derive from a pen drawing by Gregorio's teacher, Domenico Fiasella, for the latter's version of Saint Andrew led to his martyrdom in the church of Sant' Anna, Genoa.²  Some studio replicas of Fiasella's composition exist; one is on the right wall of the church of San Bernardo, Moltedo, and the other is an unfinished watercolour in the Corradi collection, Genoa.

A copy of this work was sold in Genoa, Boetto, 24 November 2003, lot 50 (as 'Scuola Napoletana').

1  See E. Gavazza et al., La Pittura in Liguria: Il Secondo Seicento, Genoa 1990, p. 431.
2  See P. Donati, Domenico Fiasella, exhibition catalogue, Genoa 1990, p. 220, cat. no. 51, reproduced p. 219.