May 21, 2024 10:00 EST

Old Master Paintings / English & Continental Silver, Furniture & Decorative Arts

 
Lot 9
 

9

Attributed to Apollonio Domenichini (The Master of the Langmatt Foundation Views)

A View of the Piazza San Marco, Looking East toward the Basilica
Oil on canvas
35 1⁄8 x 58 ¼ inches (89.2 x 148 cm)
Frame 40 x 63 1/4 inches (102.2 x 160.7 cm)
Provenance:
Maurice Segoura Antiquaire, Paris
Purchased from the above in 1996
Private collection

During the 18th century, the arrival of increasing numbers of wealthy tourists brought new energy to Venetian art, as many of these travelers bought paintings to take home as souvenirs. Especially popular was the Venetian veduta, or “view,” of a picturesque area of the city. The Piazza San Marco, the Grand Canal, and the Rialto Bridge were favorite subjects for such paintings. Among the artists who painted these pictures, Antonio Canaletto was the most famous, but the works of some younger contemporaries were also highly sought-after. Among these younger artists was one whose paintings were first recognized in the 20th century as the work of a single hand, but whose name remained unidentified for many years. This anonymous artist became known as the Master of the Langmatt Foundation Views after a series of thirteen Venetian vedute by him that belong to the Langmatt Foundation in Baden, Switzerland. These pictures are characterized by a Canalettesque treatment of details; a slight distortion of perspective that enlarges the foreground; and a palette of cool and neutral colors. The anonymous creator of these paintings was identified some years ago by the art historian Dario Succi as Apollonio Domenichini, a documented member of the Fraglia de’ Pittori, the Venetian painter’s guild. Professor Succi based his deduction on mentions in the correspondence of the 18th-century Venetian antique dealer Giovanni Maria Sasso with one of his English clients. The theory that the Langmatt Master and Apollonio Domenichini are the same person is now accepted by most historians of 18th-century Venetian art.

This view of the Piazza San Marco is among the paintings attributed by Professor Succi to this important rediscovered artist. In a letter discussing the painting written on September 30 1996 to a previous owner, Succi wrote: “This impressive painting . . . can be dated with certainty on the basis of its technical and chromatic characteristics [to] around 1740. It can be attributed in my opinion to Apollonio Domenichini (Venice1715-post 1757), . . . whose name is inscribed in the registers of the Corporation of Venetian Painters for 1757.”

Here we can see the great square spread out before the Basilica of St. Mark, flanked by Renaissance arcades on either side — a magnificent public space that Napoleon would later call “The Drawing Room of Europe.” Groups of figures gather to stroll and talk, while in the distance a performance of street theater has attracted a crowd. It is a charming thought that among the people strolling in the square are surely some of the very Grand Tour visitors who would have bought just such views as this.

Sold for $32,000
Estimated at $30,000 - $50,000

Includes Buyer's Premium


 

A View of the Piazza San Marco, Looking East toward the Basilica
Oil on canvas
35 1⁄8 x 58 ¼ inches (89.2 x 148 cm)
Frame 40 x 63 1/4 inches (102.2 x 160.7 cm)
Provenance:
Maurice Segoura Antiquaire, Paris
Purchased from the above in 1996
Private collection

During the 18th century, the arrival of increasing numbers of wealthy tourists brought new energy to Venetian art, as many of these travelers bought paintings to take home as souvenirs. Especially popular was the Venetian veduta, or “view,” of a picturesque area of the city. The Piazza San Marco, the Grand Canal, and the Rialto Bridge were favorite subjects for such paintings. Among the artists who painted these pictures, Antonio Canaletto was the most famous, but the works of some younger contemporaries were also highly sought-after. Among these younger artists was one whose paintings were first recognized in the 20th century as the work of a single hand, but whose name remained unidentified for many years. This anonymous artist became known as the Master of the Langmatt Foundation Views after a series of thirteen Venetian vedute by him that belong to the Langmatt Foundation in Baden, Switzerland. These pictures are characterized by a Canalettesque treatment of details; a slight distortion of perspective that enlarges the foreground; and a palette of cool and neutral colors. The anonymous creator of these paintings was identified some years ago by the art historian Dario Succi as Apollonio Domenichini, a documented member of the Fraglia de’ Pittori, the Venetian painter’s guild. Professor Succi based his deduction on mentions in the correspondence of the 18th-century Venetian antique dealer Giovanni Maria Sasso with one of his English clients. The theory that the Langmatt Master and Apollonio Domenichini are the same person is now accepted by most historians of 18th-century Venetian art.

This view of the Piazza San Marco is among the paintings attributed by Professor Succi to this important rediscovered artist. In a letter discussing the painting written on September 30 1996 to a previous owner, Succi wrote: “This impressive painting . . . can be dated with certainty on the basis of its technical and chromatic characteristics [to] around 1740. It can be attributed in my opinion to Apollonio Domenichini (Venice1715-post 1757), . . . whose name is inscribed in the registers of the Corporation of Venetian Painters for 1757.”

Here we can see the great square spread out before the Basilica of St. Mark, flanked by Renaissance arcades on either side — a magnificent public space that Napoleon would later call “The Drawing Room of Europe.” Groups of figures gather to stroll and talk, while in the distance a performance of street theater has attracted a crowd. It is a charming thought that among the people strolling in the square are surely some of the very Grand Tour visitors who would have bought just such views as this.

Glue relined. Some scattered areas of restoration and smaller touches to the sky, the pavement, and the shadows on the piazza. Scattered touches to the figures.

Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client, is an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact and our Organization shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. Please contact the specialist department to request further information or additional images that may be available.

Auction: Old Master Paintings / English & Continental Silver, Furniture & Decorative Arts, May 21, 2024

  • Auction of Old Master & 19th Century Paintings, Drawings & Prints on May 21, 2024 Surpasses Expectations

  • Nautical Painting by Dutch Master Simon Jacobsz de Vlieger Sails to $419,600 Amid Trans-Atlantic Bidding

  • Fine Art Section of the May 21 Auction Comprised Lots 1 - 92

  • Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions

NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle's auction on May 21, 2024 saw exceptional results for Old Master & 19th Century Paintings, Drawings & Prints. Bidders on both sides of the Atlantic vied for landscapes, nautical paintings, still lifes, portraits and religious subjects by European artists from the Renaissance through the 19th century.

Simon Jacobsz de Vlieger - Sold for $419,600
Highlighting the sale was Dutch artist Simon Jacobsz de Vlieger’s view of A Coastal Landscape with Dutch Frigates Exchanging Salutes that soared past its estimate of $60,000-80,000 to achieve a stunning $419,600. Simon Jacobsz de Vlieger (1601-1653) was one of the most important and influential Dutch marine painters of the 17th century. This sweeping view of ships off the coast of Holland, painted in the late 1640s, is a classic example of his late style, which emphasized the atmospheric effects of water and sky along the North Sea.

Venetian Vedute & the Grand Tour
Another noteworthy offering was A View of the Piazza San Marco, Looking East toward the Basilica attributed to Apollonio Domenichini (The Master of the Langmatt Foundation Views). Read Essay


We Invite You to Auction!

Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for a complimentary auction evaluation. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.

For information, please contact:
Elaine Stainton: 212-427-4141, ext 238, Paintings@Doyle.com
Cynthia Klein: 212-427-4141, ext 246, Prints@Doyle.com

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