Rudolf von Alt

Acquired by the family of the present owner circa 1910

Vienna, Akademie-Ausstellung, 1864, no. 248 (as Der Dom in Sebenico)

Im Kinsky, ed., Rudolf von Alt: die Ölgemälde, Vienna, 2011, p. 174, no. II.27, catalogued (as whereabouts unknown; the watercolour version illustrated)

The canvas has not been lined. There are some scattered lines of craquelure notably in the sky as visible in the catalogue illustration; however, these appear to be stable. Ultra-violet light reveals clusters of retouching in and and around the church's door, some finely applied in-painting in the aforementioned craquelure and some other small scattered spots in the sky in the upper right corner. This picture presents very well, is overall in good condition and is ready to hang. Presented in a decorative gilt frame with a nameplate.
"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."

This re-discovered oil, based on a watercolour by Alt known only from a black and white photograph in Austria's Bundesdenkmalamt, shows the west front of the Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik, Croatia (formerly Sebenico in Austria-Hungary), a triple-nave basilica with three apses today regarded as the most important Renaissance architectural monument in the country. The Renaissance church, built entirely of limestone to replace the preceding Romanesque structure, was completed in three phases, starting in 1431, when the Grand City Council entrusted the work to local and Italian masters Francesco di Giacomo, Lorenzo Pincino, Pier Paolo Bussato, Bonino da Milano, and Giorgio da Sebenico, assisted by Andrija Budčić and Grubiš Šlafčić.