Giovanni Battista Ruoppolo

Ferdinand I, King of the Two Sicilies;
By whom given to an ancestor of the anonymous consignor in
Sale ('Collection T.L.'), Monaco, Sotheby's, 21 June 1991, lot 114 (a pair of paintings);
There purchased by the present collector.

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com , an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This canvas has an old Italian lining. The surface feels very waxy and the varnish is dull and should be removed. The paint layer will clean during this process and although it is likely that a few retouches will be removed and a few losses will become apparent during this process, above the leaf in the upper right corner for instance and in a few other areas in the upper left background, the bulk of the still life itself seems to be in beautiful state. Almost all of the losses seem to be around the edges and in the background, and although there is very slight thinness to the seeds in the watermelon, there is no other abrasion visible. This painting is in lovely condition.
"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."

At the time of the 1991 sale in Monaco (see Provenance), this painting was sold with its pendant, Still Life in a Landscape with Oranges, Lemons and a Parrot.  The pendant painting, which is signed at lower left G. Ruoppoli, was subsequently sold in these rooms on 24 January 2002, lot 24.  According to the catalogue entry of the 1991 auction, both pictures were at one time in the royal collection of Ferdinand I, King of the Two Sicilies (1751-1825) in the 18^th century and were given by him to an ancestor of the consignor in that sale.

Writing in the mid-18^th century, the art historian and biographer Bernardo de' Dominici described Giovanni Battista Ruoppolo as one of the great still life painters in Naples and wrote a detailed notizia on his life.¹ His works were avidly collected by the aristocracy and wealthy citizens of that city.  Several works by Ruoppolo were recorded in the collection of Ferdinand van den Einden, the famous Flemish banker and art patron who lived in Naples.²

Ruoppolo's style shows his awareness of artists from his own and earlier generations.  His youthful works reflect the naturalism of other Neapolitans such as Luca Forte and Giovan Battista Recco, as well as his knowledge of the Roman still life tradition harking back to Caravaggio.  His mature works became more elaborate and decorative, possibly due to the influence of Abraham Brueghel who came to Naples in 1675.

 

1.  B. de' Dominici, Vite dei Pittori, Scultori ed Architetti Napoletani, Vol. III, Naples 1742-45, pp. 292-295.
2.  See R. Middione, in C. Whitfield and J. Martineau, eds., Painting in Naples 1606-1705 from Caravaggio to Giordano, exhibition catalogue, London 1982, pp. 240-41.