Master of the Gamblers ('Maestro dei Giocatori')

We are grateful to Dott. Gianni Papi for endorsing the attribution to the Maestro dei Giocatori. Dott. Papi first identified the distinctive hand of the master in an article in 1998, and in 2005, on the occasion of the exhibition Il Genio degli Anonimi in Milan, was able to address his œuvre by identifying twenty-two works attributable to him. This kitchen scene is entirely typical of the master's style, particularly in the heavy linear and characterful depiction of the man's face, and also in the dramatic sculptural quality of his drapery, seen here in the vivid contrast between the stark white of the creased linen sleeves and his red coat. Dott. Papi has also indicated that the still life elements that we see here in the tortoise, the two fish and the copper pan are typical of the master's interest in that genre, more usually explored in his depictions of fruit and vegetable, and poultry sellers.