Giacomo Nani (Porto Ercole 1698 - Naples 1770)
Still life with flowers, stand with crystals and liquors, icebox, porcelain and basket with biscuits
Oil on canvas (64 x 73 cm - Framed 83 x 93 cm)
Provenance (see images):
- Dorotheum (April 14, 2005) Vienna, Lot 37
Est: €20,000 EUR - €30,000 EUR
- Dorotheum (October 15, 2008), Lot 281
Est: €18,000 EUR - €25,000 EUR
The painting offered is a work by the Neapolitan painter Giacomo Nani (Porto Ercole 1698 - Naples 1770) and delights us with a selection of the elements he favored in creating his precious still lifes; on a stone shelf, on which an embroidered carpet is laid, we see a series of objects, including two painted porcelain cups, a stand with two bottles of liqueur and crystal glasses; there is also a transparent glass vase filled with flowers, and finally some food items, a basket with biscuits, a wrapped Neapolitan eggplant, and an icebox with an oyster.
Everything is arranged to create a sophisticated and elegant ensemble.
A student of Gaspare Lopez (Naples - Venice c. 1732), one of the greatest genre painters of the era, Giacomo Nani developed his own personality over time, highly appreciated by nobles and collectors of the eighteenth century, among whom we can mention the Duchess of Terranova and the Duke of Limatola, as well as the Bourbons.
His paintings were particularly numerous among King Charles of Bourbon, and are today preserved in Naples and Caserta in the art collection of the Royal Estate of Carditello.
Twenty-four canvases by Giacomo Nani were sent to Spain by Charles of Bourbon as a gift to his mother, Elisabetta Farnese, and are today preserved at the Royal Palace of Riofrío, one of the residences of the Spanish royal family, and at the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso, in Segovia.
A painter of still lifes, his works were often dedicated to the most diverse food items. His compositions feature foods of the era and, in particular, in the series preserved in Spain, a large part of the dishes served on Neapolitan tables at that time are represented, as if in a select menu.
He sometimes depicted objects from Neapolitan tradition, as in the present painting, such as the typical rosolio liqueur, Capodimonte ceramics, and the icebox; these latter elements, in particular, are almost a signature of the painter, being present in many of his works.
For comparison, we see, for example, three signed works, therefore of certain attribution: 'Still life with fish slices, shell box, basket of figs, melon and vegetables' (Christie's, Milan, November 29, 2006, no. 53, image 1), 'Still life with a plate of watermelon, ice cream, cups, sweets and flowers' / 'Still life with porcelain, vase of flowers, basket of donuts, bread, flask and glasses (Private collection, Bergamo, images 2 and 3), and again 'Kitchen interior' (Naples, Capodimonte Museum, image 4).
Image 1: https://catalogo.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/scheda/opera/89643/Nani%20Giacomo%2C%20Natura%20morta%20con...
Image 2: https://catalogo.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/scheda/opera/89644/Nani%20Giacomo%2C%20Natura%20morta%20con...
Image 2: https://catalogo.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/scheda/opera/89642/Nani%20Giacomo%2C%20Natura%20morta%20con...
Image 4: https://catalogo.beniculturali.it/detail/HistoricOrArtisticProperty/1500814521#lg=1&slide=0
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The work is sold with a pleasant frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.
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