Andrea Scacciati (Florence 1642–1710)
Flower arrangement in a repoussé vase (1 of 3)
oil on canvas
cm. 130 x 90 - In an antique frame 145 x 105 cm.
Work accompanied by an expertise from Prof. Emilio Negro
Antique frame, with defects and missing parts. Painting in good condition, old restorations, presence of an old superficial layer of varnish, partially oxidized.
The important still life presented – of which two other examples may possibly be available – shows a lush bouquet with numerous botanical varieties, described with attentive sensitivity thanks to a rich application of impasto and tones, gathered inside a repoussé metal vase and resting on a square support.
Given its large size and the fact that it is part of a series, our work was certainly commissioned for the decoration of a noble palace: it was indeed customary, in large reception halls or in the long corridors connecting the different wings of palaces, to adorn the most important walls with specially commissioned series of works, based on the tastes of the noble owners.
The painting, dating back to the late 17th century, exhibits purely Tuscan school characteristics and is attributed to the Florentine Andrea Scacciati (Florence 1642–1710), a leading figure, along with Bartolomeo Bimbi, of this pictorial genre in Florence in the late Baroque period.
Andrea Scacciati is indeed considered the protagonist of the renewal of Florentine still life in a Baroque sense in a century that constitutes the golden age of this figurative genre: during the 17th century, in fact, still life established itself as a distinct genre and all its inherent potential – in terms of visual suggestion, descriptive precision, compositional skill, and symbolic density – reached an unsurpassed fulfillment.
In the late 1960s, the author opened a workshop commissioned for numerous works by the ruling house and various noble families. Much beloved by the Medici and the most renowned Tuscan noble families, he was the author of works of the highest stylistic quality, primarily dedicated to floral compositions, defined with expert pictorial skill and enhanced by exclusive chromatic effects.
His canvases were particularly requested by Grand Duchess Vittoria della Rovere and Grand Duke Cosimo III and destined for the Villa dell'Ambrogiana.
Regarding the characteristics of his style, a descriptive formula imbued with original eclecticism is evident, derived mainly from his knowledge of 17th-century Flemish and Dutch paintings, and from the refinements of Roman floral compositions by the famous Mario Nuzzi, better known as Mario dei Fiori.
The type of composition and the chased metal vase relate to the most typical vein of the artist's late period. Numerous elements typical of the painter can be seen in our still life, including the almost geometric balance of the flower arrangement and the varied chromaticism in describing the different botanical species, created with variety and elegance, finally enhanced by the dark background.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
The painting is completed by a gilded wooden frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and guarantee.
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