Francesco Guardi Venice 1712 - 1793

Sir Thomas Fermor-Hesketh, 1st Baron Hesketh (1881-1944), Rufford Hall, Ormskirk, Lancashire in August 1917;
Thence by family descent. 

Anon. compiler, Specification of Pictures and Furniture belonging to T. Fermor-Hesketh Esq. at Rufford Hall, Ormskirk, Lancashire, August 1st 1917, 'Two ditto by Guardi (very small) £200';
J.W. Goodison, Fitzwilliam Museum Cambridge. Catalogue of Paintings, vol. II, Italian Schools, Cambridge 1967, vol. II, p. 72, under cat. no. 184 (as another version).

The painting is less contrasted and greener in tone than the catalogue illustration suggests. The original canvas seems to have been cut along the edges and then relined: the relining canvas, visible by removing the backing board on the reverse, appears to be relatively old. The painting is a little dirty and the varnish slightly yellowed. The paint surface has not suffered at all from wear and retains the freshness and brilliance of the brushwork so typical of Guardi, especially in the architecture and staffage. Inspection under ultra-violet light reveals that much of the picture is intact, particularly the water, boats, figures and buildings, but there are a few scattered retouchings in the sky, more concentrated upper centre and upper left, in an area above the church. A patch of discoloured retouchings in the extreme upper left corner (3 by 3 cm. approx.) is also visible to the naked eye and in the illustration. The painting is in very good condition overall and will brighten after cleaning. The Rococo-style gilt wood and plaster frame has a loss in the lower right corner; a piece which has been reattached along the right edge; and other minor superficial knocks, but is generally quite sound (see catalogue).
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The island of Anconetta, also known as 'Madonnetta', was situated in the lagoon between Venice and Mestre. Two similar paintings were published by Morassi as late works by Francesco Guardi - one in the Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge (Mass.), and the other in the Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice - and a third variant, not accepted by Morassi as autograph, is in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge (for the Fogg and Venice paintings see A. Morassi, Guardi. I dipinti, Venice 1993, vol. I, p. 433, cat. nos. 659 and 660, reproduced vol. II, figs. 618 and 619; for the Fitzwilliam variant see Goodison, under Literature, vol. II, p. 72, cat. no. 184, reproduced plate 32). The present painting comes closest to the Fitzwilliam variant both in dimensions and in format (the latter measures 15.6 by 22.2 cm. and the Fogg and Venice versions are both of slightly more elongated format). A preparatory drawing of the island, most closely related to the painted variant in Venice, is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (inv. 37.165.84; see J. Bean and W. Griswold, 18th Century Italian Drawings in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 1990, pp. 107-8, cat. no. 91, reproduced).

We are grateful to Prof. Dario Succi for endorsing the attribution to Francesco Guardi on the basis of a colour transparency, and for suggesting a date of execution circa 1788-90.