Lot 130
  • 130

Giuseppe Gabani

Estimate
120,000 - 180,000 USD
bidding is closed

Description

  • Giuseppe Gabani
  • The Derby Reale 
  • signed Gabani and inscribed Roma (lower right)
  • oil on canvas
  • 33 by 59 1/4 in.
  • 83.8 by 150.5 cm

Provenance

Santa Anita Park, Collection of the Los Angeles Turf Club (by 1955 and sold, Christie's, New York, April 8, 2008, lot 28, illustrated)
Private Collection (acquired at the above sale)
Sale: Sotheby's, New York, November 3, 2015, lot 102, illustrated 
Acquired at the above sale 

Exhibited

The Pasadena Art Museum, English Sporting Art, November 11 - December 11, 1955, no. 9

Condition

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This work has been well restored and should be hung in its current state. The canvas has an effective glue lining. There does not appear to be any abrasion caused by cleaning. The retouches are minimal in the bulk of the picture, mostly focusing on a few small spots around the parasols of the standing women on the carriage, and some isolated spots in the center of the sky. However, around and above the red flag on the right side, there are restorations that seem to address an old damage. These retouches begin around the head of the woman with a black hat at the front of the group on the black carriage beneath this flag and extend upwards about 6 inches to address some paint losses here. Despite this restoration, the condition is very good.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

Born in Senigallia, on Italy’s Adriatic coast, Giovanni Gabani studied with Cesare Maccari and Giuseppe Raggio and specialized mainly in history paintings, as well as landscapes and animals. Horses are often prominently featured in his works, both in his Orientalist subjects and in his depictions of a day at the races.

Within Gabani's oeuvre, The Derby Reale is a tour de force, demonstrating an ability to construct a complex composition without sacrificing attention to detail, including the rendered musculature of the horses, expressions and gestures of the crowd, and their elegant fashions. The scene takes place at the Capannelle racetrack, just outside of Rome, where the Derby Reale was founded in 1884 and continues to this day, now known as the Derby Italiano. The racetrack was a frequent subject for Gabani since he moved to Rome in 1880, the bustling activity and drama of the race allowed him to flex his artistic skill, as evidenced in the present work.