Antonio Cioci

Estimate

40,000 - 60,000 GBP

bidding is closed

Description

Antonio Cioci
a vanitas still life with an adder in a pestle and mortar, a sculpted head, an astrolobe, an anatomical sculpture, a musical pipe, a skull, a violin, a globe, musical scores, manuscripts, a paint palette and brushes, sculpting tools and a flask, all on a wooden table, together with stoneware jar, pen and ink, all on a wooden ledge, a salted herring and shell hanging
traces of signature on a note upper right:... fecit
oil on canvas, in a carved and gilt wood frame

Exhibited

Fano, L'anima e le cose: la natura morta nell'Italia pontificia nel XVII e XVIII secolo , 13 July - 28 October 2001, no. 114.

Literature

R. Battistini, in L'anima e le cose: la natura morta nell'Italia pontificia nel XVII e XVIII secolo, exhibition catalogue, Modena 2001, p. 174, cat. no. 114, reproduced.

Condition

The painting is slightly less red than it appears in the catalogue illustration. The canvas has been recently rather stiffly relined. The paint surface is in excellent condition and shows no signs of wear. The painting was recently cleaned and the varnish is clear and even. Inspection under ultra-violet light reveals minor retouchings along the extreme edges of the canvas and other very minor small spot retouchings, but none of these are significant. The painting is in fantastic condition overall and can be hung as is. The old-style carved and gilt wood frame is in good condition (with a few chips and superficial knocks giving it the appearance of normal wear and tear).
"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."

Catalogue Note

Antonio Cioci was a painter and engraver in Florence in the latter part of the 18th century. By 1770 he had become director of the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, a government department dedicated to the cutting of hard stone, which was a strong source of revenue for Florence. He was responsible for the decoration of the Villa la Tana at Candeli and the ducal villa at Poggio Imperiale.

Several of his still lifes are based on a trompe l'oeil effect¹ and depict scenes from his studio, such as the one sold in New York, Sotheby's, 19 May 1995, lot 55. The sculptural elements of that picture are repeated in the present work, as are the painter's tools and the various geometrical objects. In both works perhaps the most interesting feature is the wide range of objects. The present work, however, presents an even more densely packed scene which, unusually it seems for the artist, extends into vanitas elements.

1. See, for example, L. Salerno, La natura morta italiana, Rome 1984, p. 383, cat. no. 119.1.