Pair of still lifes with fish and crustaceans, Elena Recco (Naples, 1654 - 1700)

Elena Recco (Naples, 1654 - 1700) Attributed to Pair of still lifes with fish and crustaceans Oil on canvas (72 x 96 cm - Framed 85 x 108 cm.) Provenance: - Finarte, Milan, 23.10.2007, lot 517, Estimate: €18,000 - €20,000 (page 189 of the catalog) - Ponte, Milan, 09.06.2009, lot 144, Estimate: €15,000 - €16,000 A refined pair of still lifes depicting compositions of fish, crustaceans, and catch arranged in a shadowy setting, with a wide panoramic opening in the background. The works are distinguished by their evocative use of light, playing on deep chiaroscuro contrasts, and by the meticulous naturalistic rendering of the different fish species, characterized by brilliant silvery reflections and remarkable material quality. The canvases, which show clear affinities with the Neapolitan still life tradition developed between the late 17th and early 18th centuries, are traditionally attributed to the oeuvre of Elena Recco (Naples 1654 – Madrid 1715), one of the most important painters of the Neapolitan school, renowned for her extraordinary specialist skill in fish still lifes. A daughter of art – her father was the renowned master Giuseppe Recco – she developed a unique personal style that makes her works easily recognizable to art experts. The theatrical arrangement of the catch, the dark Baroque atmosphere, and the luminous rendering of the surfaces recall the tradition inaugurated by her family, within which Elena developed her own pictorial sensibility, appreciated in Neapolitan and Roman aristocratic collections. A close look at the two works examined here allows us to find all the distinctive characteristics of the artist's production: to achieve the chromatic rendering of the scales, her compositions feature typical gray-blue shades, while the bodies of the catch shine with silvery and metallic reflections, rendered with a rich pictorial texture. In her paintings, fish with gleaming scales and details of the catch stand out theatrically against dark and atmospheric backgrounds, creating that typical dramatic contrast derived from the tradition of the southern Caravaggesque school. The quality of her work earned her an invitation from the Spanish king to move to the court of Madrid in 1695, an honor granted only to established artists, where she worked with great acclaim and received important commissions. Today, her paintings are found in renowned collections such as the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, the National Museum of Warsaw, and on the Catalog of the Federico Zeri Foundation. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The images were taken using a professional photographic set; therefore, the paintings may appear darker if not illuminated. The paintings come with two elegant gilded frames and are accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic card. We handle and organize the transport of purchased works, both within Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers. Should you wish to see this or other works in person, we will be happy to welcome you to our new gallery in Riva del Garda, at Viale Giuseppe Canella 18. We look forward to seeing you! Contact us for any information or to arrange a visit, we will be happy to assist you. Follow us also on: https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/