Bernardino Cesari

The canvas has an old relining which is still sound. Overall the painting appears to be very well preserved. Inspection under ultra violet light reveals a few areas of restoration; these include the dark horse at left, the flanks of the grey horse on the right and a series of scattered old damages to the right of this close to and along the margin. The foreground beneath the figures and horses has been repainted and the sky similarly washed over. Other intervention is confined to small local retouchings. The varnish is even and slightly dulled. This lot is offeredwith a later giltplaster frame with acanthus leaf mouldings, some chips and minor damages.
"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."

Bernardino Cesari was born in 1571 in the town of Arpino, three years after his precocious elder brother, Giuseppe Cesari, called Il Cavaliere del Arpino. He soon became Giuseppe's principal assistant in what was the leading studio in Rome at the end of the cinquecento. Giuseppe Cesari was already an established member of the Accademia di San Lucca in Rome in 1585, at the tender age of 17, but it was not until 1592 when Ippolitto Albobrandi was elevated to the Holy See as Pope Clement VIII (1536-1605), and when Giuseppe Cesari was made his principal painter, that the studio was to reach the height of its fame and production. The Cesari brothers were henceforward to dominate the papal commissions as well as those of the Pope's family and the fashionable elite in Rome. Indeed, the studio was to attract some of the most talented young artists in the city including, at one point, the young Caravaggio. Bernardino's style is reliant on that of his brother, although tighter and crisper than the more fluid style of his brother. The present battle scene, although of superior quality, should be compared to the "Battle of the Lapiths and the Centaurs" sold in these Rooms 8 July 1992, lot 189, which was also attributed to Bernardino Cesari.

We are grateful to Professor Herwarth Röttgen for suggesting the attribution to Bernardino Cesari on the basis of photographs.