Cesare Dell'Acqua

Mrs Cleese, wife of Louis Cleese (Belgian 1889-1961);
Thence by descent to the present owner

Delicately bound with some loose pages. Some minor creases and inconsistencies to extreme edges. Losses to the spine. There is discolouration to the edges of most sheets. Foxing and surface dirt to some sheets. There is evidence of some missing pages. Would benefit from sensitive restoration.
"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 freshness and delicacy of Dell'Acqua's sketches and the varied subject matter, peppered with notes and observations, add to the aesthetic value of this survey of the artist's precision and skill.  With themes ranging from coy Rocco and Belle  Epoque figures and scenes, portraits of figures in traditional Greek costume, sketches after various Italian Old Master works, figural tableaux, landscapes, and representations of buildings and architectural elements, Dell'Acqua's virtuosic draughtsmanship is tempered by the rapid-fire and intimate nature of these pencil and watercolour works.

Best known for his skills as a portraitist, as well as a genre and historic painter, Caesar Felix Georges Dell'Acqua was born in Pirano d'Istria in 1812 and died in Brussels in 1904. After entering the Venice Academy in 1842 under the tutelage of such artists as Lipparini, Grigoletti and Politi, Dell'Acqua would study and travel, accompanied by his patron, the Hungarian Baron Ludovico Luigi Reszan, to Paris, Munich, Vienna and Brussels. Dell'Acqua's eye for attractive scenes rife with detail married his interest in historical scenes of a romantic nature and vignettes of everyday life, represented with charm and alacrity in his sketches.