Pair of antique watercolor prints, "Baruffe", 18th Century.
The two works depicted in the image are two framed antique prints, representing genre scenes known as "Baruffe," probably dating back to the 18th century.
On the back, "Baruffe Chioggiotte" (from Chioggia, Veneto) of the 1700s.
Measurements: 27 x 35 cm
Scene descriptions:
1. Upper Scene:
This composition shows a group of figures inside a domestic setting. A woman in yellow clothing appears to be arguing with another seated figure, while other figures react with surprise or try to intervene. The atmosphere is lively and theatrical, with broad and dramatic gestures.
2. Lower Scene:
In this second print, the action intensifies further: three women are involved in a violent quarrel, with one of them wielding an object above her head, ready to strike. In the center, a figure seems to be trying to defend or protect a child. The setting is again enclosed, likely a rustic house or kitchen, as suggested by the visible tools (including an anchor and a ladder).
Stylistic features:
The scenes are rich in movement and pathos, following the popular and narrative pictorial tradition.
The figures are dressed in period peasant or bourgeois costumes, typical of the 18th-19th centuries.
