Stefano Magnasco

Anonymous sale, London, Christie's, 8 July 1994, lot 37, where acquired by the present owner.

M. Newcome, "Genova e il Magnasco", in Alessandro Magnasco: 1667-1749, exhibition  catalogue, Milan, Palazzo Reale, 21 March - 7 July 1996, p. 71, where only 'Allegory of the Arts' is reproduced as fig. 4;
A. Orlando, in Genua Tempu Fà, exhibition catalogue, Monaco, Maison d'Art, 24 October - 24 November 1997, p. 104, reproduced figs. 20b and 20c;
A. Orlando, Stefano Magnasco e la cerchia di Valerio Castello, Milan 2001, p. 112, cat. nos. 33a and b, both reproduced.

The following condition report is provided by Rebecca Gregg, who is an external specialist and not an employee of Sotheby's. The original canvas appears stable, lined onto a secondary support and stretched over a newly constructed stretcher there are no obvious planar deformations and the overall tension is good. The paint layers appear in relatively good condition and there are no obviously recent damages or loss. There is a distinct craqulure pattern throughout, with some isolated areas of raised cracking; some of these edges appear sharp however the adhesion between the paint and ground layers and the support appears stable at present. The painting appears relatively recently restored. There are at least two campaigns of restoration present, there are areas of over-paint scattered throughout the composition, with larger areas of glazing at the along the right edge and in the lower quadrant. There is a distinct area of over-paint in the centre of the lower edge and along the left and right edges with a repair running parallel to the lower left edge. There is also another series of re-paint scattered beneath the current varnish layer. There are scattered remnants of an older varnish layer present which fluoresce strongly under ultra violet examination. There is a secondary varnish layer present and a light dusting of surface dirt. There are slight scuffs to the surface of the varnish layer which give the area a slightly cloudy appearance. The painting was examined in the frame.
"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."

A Genoese by birth, Stefano Magnasco, father of the celebrated Alessandro, trained in his native city with Valerio Castello before working in Rome from 1655-60 where his style was strongly influenced by Pietro da Cortona and Nicolas Poussin. Anna Orlando (see Literature, 2001) dates these works to 1658-60, a relatively mature phase in the artist's career, when he had moved on from Castello's style and had assimilated the softer colouring and lightness of mood of Domenico Piola. The works should be compared to a closely-related Allegory of the Sciences in a private collection, in which the busy putti fill the composition in a similarly orchestrated way.¹

Similar works by Domenico Piola were executed in 1671 to commemorate the marriage of Giovanni Andrea III Doria Landi to Anna Pamphilij and are still in Palazzo Doria Pamphilij in Genoa.² 



1. See Orlando, under Literature 2001, p. 132, ca. no. 52, reproduced.
2. See D. Sanguineti, Domenico Piola, Soncino 2004, vol. II, p. 400, cat. no. I.70, reproduced figs. 18507, and the Allegory of the Arts reproduced in colour plate XL.