Pair of paintings depicting still lifes with flower and watermelon composition and garden in the background, Francesco Lavagna (Naples 1684-1724)

Francesco Lavagna (Naples 1684-1724) Pair of paintings depicting still lifes with flower and watermelon composition and garden in the background Oil on canvas, Dimensions H 48 x W 65, frame H 66 x W 83 x D 6 Price: private negotiation Object accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and expertise at the bottom of the page The paintings, beautifully crafted and in good condition, depict lavish compositions of flowers and fruits set in elegant gardens. Attributable to the Neapolitan painter Francesco Lavagna, they present compositional and stylistic similarities with certain and signed works by the painter. In our collection we also offer another painting attributed to Lavagna and of the same dimensions, which can be replaced in the pair at will. In the painting proposed here on the left, in the foreground and against the light, there is a gushing fountain crowned by the sculpture of a raptor with outstretched wings. Some spontaneous plants grow around it. In the center of the canvas, in an apparently random arrangement, two triumphs of flowers are placed, characterized by bright colors in shades of magenta and carmine reds, with notes of blue and candid whites. On the ground, the flowers spill out of an overturned wicker basket that rests on a white porcelain cup threaded with blue. To the side are placed a half-cut watermelon, a yellow melon, some figs and a bunch of grapes. Immediately behind, placed on a low wall that acts as a backdrop, one observes a wicker basket with a large floral decoration and a copper vase with a globular body and a wide flared and embossed neck. The scene leaves ample space for the description of the surrounding environment: it is a formal, or Italian, garden, characterized by a geometric division of spaces obtained with the use of hedges and plant sculptures obtained by pruning evergreen bushes, geometric water mirrors, often combined with architectural elements such as fountains and statues. Two large boxwood topiary, pruned into arches, can be seen, with a small circular fountain in the center. Beyond this enclosure, a backdrop of trees stands out against a blue sky, in which some soft clouds roam. The painting proposed on the right, of similar composition and workmanship, is distinguished by a watermelon in the foreground, some white porcelain objects decorated with blue surrounded by compositions of flowers lying on the ground and on architectural elements. On the right, a large terracotta vase is placed in front of a portion of wall beyond which a tree creates a backdrop to the scene. In the background, a peacock, with its characteristic long colored tail, sits with its back to the observer. Then we observe a gushing fountain and a balustrade which, cut by the composition, suggests the continuity of the spaces beyond what is depicted. Tree fronds in the distance delimit the horizon. Clearly belonging to the Neapolitan school, the canvas shows undisputed similarities with the style of the painter Francesco Lavagna (1684-1724). He is one of the protagonists of Neapolitan still life painting of the early 18th century. The Neapolitan eighteenth century, in the field of still life, is very appreciated and sought after today both by the antiques market and by critics. It was appreciated and highly requested in the past by the great collectors and patrons, wealthy lords owners of the most beautiful palaces of Naples and surroundings. Today it is still under study, and very little information is available about Francesco Lavagna himself. Numerous artists tried their hand at still life painting and their figures are slowly emerging from oblivion, allowing critics to outline their stylistic characteristics, grouping bodies of works under some names especially thanks to the discovery of signed works. The distinction of the hand of some painters such as Giuseppe and Francesco Lavagna and Gaspare Lopez remains very difficult. The same works appear in catalogs and on the antiquarian market sometimes attributed to one, sometimes to the other artist. Francesco Lavagna, as mentioned, was active in Naples in the first half of the 18th century. He is often confused with Gaspare Lopez and Giuseppe Lavagna, probably linked to him by a family tie, and also an interpreter of the same pictorial genre. The canvases document very well the expressive qualities of Francesco Lavagna, capable of creating works that are never banal and imbued with a descriptive ability, of remarkable visual impact, in the rendering of the effects of light, color and matter, characterized by a fine and meticulous brushstroke. Carlotta Venegoni