Giovan Battista Beinaschi Fossano near Turin 1636 - 1688 Naples

"The following condition report has been provided by Henry Gentle, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. The original canvas is lined. The paint layer is stable but raised with pronounced stretcher markings around the edges. There are restored damages to the lower left corner, through the flagon on the head of the girl, upper right, and in the sky to the left of the serving girl , centre. There is a scattering of small restored losses elsewhere throughout the surface . Thinnesses to the original paint layer have allowed the dark ground to show through. Original glazes have been compromised . There is the remains of a discoloured patchy varnish."
"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."

Giovan Battista Beinaschi studied in Turin under Esprit Grandjean, the court painter of Savoy (active 1642-1655), and had settled in Rome by 1652. While studying as a pupil of Pietro del Pò (1610-1692), Beinaschi made copies of Annibale Carracci's frescoes in the Galleria Farnese and was greatly influenced by the illusionism and dynamic compositions of Giovanni Lanfranco's frescoes in Sant'Andrea della Valle and San Carlo ai Catinari. He moved to Naples in 1664 where he and his large workshop were subsequently employed on various grand ecclesiastical fresco decorations.

The twisted poses, bared shoulders, strong chiaroscuro and rich colouring of the present painting are all typical of Beinaschi's large narrative canvases such as his Moses striking the Rock sold in London, Christie's, 9 July 1993, lot 78.

We are grateful to Dr. Erich Schleier for endorsing the attribution to Beinaschi on the basis of photographs.