Spanish follower of Corrado Giaquinto

The Conde de Maceda y de San Román, Vizconde de Fefiñanes, by 1972;
Thence by descent.

These four works all appear slightly less red in tone than the catalogue illustration suggests. The canvas is in good condition, the paint surface is stable and the colours are still lively. They have all been recently relined, but luckily the impasto brushwork on the female figures, in particular their faces, is beautifully preserved. The first painting illustrated: Inspection under UV light reveals scattered spot retouchings to tiny paint losses, all less than a cm in size, and larger areas of retouching concentrated along the upper and lower edges, in the darkest areas. A horizontal repair along the upper right measuring approximately 20 cm has been repaired, as is visible under Ultraviolet light. The second: Some damage to the canvas by the figures' right arm (as seen in the illustration), small loss of paint lower left and upper left corners, and tiny scattered retouchings. The third: Uv light reveals only small patches of old repair in the darkest areas, her face is completely original and lovely, with deep eyes and a clear profile and form applied with thick brushstrokes. The fourth has two larger areas of retouching - the left side of the cloud and to the left lower skirt, a tiny paint loss in the background right, measuring less than a cm, otherwise in an excellent untouched state. All four works are protected by an old, under UV light slightly milky, varnish. These are sold in matching old simple gilt frames, in good condition apart from a few tiny knocks to the paint.
"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 prototypes for these four allegories were designed as frescoes to decorate the cornices of the grand staircase in the Royal Palace, Madrid.¹ They were part of a larger iconographic programme begun by Giaquinto in 1759.²
Two oval versions of La Liberalità and La pubblica Felicità, both on canvas and measuring 87 by 63 cm., were with Thomas Agnew and are now in a private collection in London.³

1. A. E. Pérez Sánchez, Corrado Giaquinto y Espana, exhibition catalogue, Madrid 2006, p. 229 - 231, cat. nos. 62 - 65, reproduced in colour p. 275; and M. d’Orsi, Corrado Giaquinto, Rome 1958, reproduced figs. 125, 126, 127, 128.
2. See d’Orsi, 1958, pp. 103- 104. Also J. Urea Fernandez, La Pintura Italiana del siglo XVIII en España, Valladolid 1977, pp. 122, 125, 130- 131.
3. See Agnew's, Pictures by old Masters, London, 29 July – 6 September 1968, p. 5, cat. nos. 9 and 12. See also L. Dania, ‘Inediti di Corrado Giaquinto’, in H. Olsen et al., Atti convegno di studi su Corrado Giaquinto, Molfetta 1971, p. 14, reproduced figs. 9 and 10.