Francesco Battaglioli (Modena c. 1710 – Venice after 1796) - Architectural Caprice with Figures.

Francesco Battaglioli (Modena c. 1710 – Venice after 1796) - Architectural Caprice with Figures. 83.5 x 114.5 cm (unframed) - 98 x 130 cm (framed). Oil on canvas, in a carved and gilded wooden frame. Provenance: Private collection, Friuli Venezia Giulia. Features a label with a previous attribution to Michele Marieschi (Venice 1710 – Venice 1744). Francesco Battaglioli is among the protagonists of the architectural caprice painting in 18th-century Venice. Trained in Modena, where he worked as a theater set designer, he moved to Venice around the middle of the century, joining that trend of fantastic veduta painting that found its main references in Giovanni Antonio Canal and Michele Marieschi. His work is distinguished by rigorous perspective construction, a legacy of his theatrical training, and a diffused, silvery light that traverses the architecture with measured touches. The painting in question presents a composition typical of his mature repertoire: a Roman triumphal arch in the foreground on the right opens the view to a landscape background with a medieval tower, scattered ruins, and a body of water stretching towards the background. The figures in 18th-century attire, distributed naturally along the visual path, recall the characterful figures in the Canalettian tradition, rendered with quick and confident brushstrokes. The quality of the sky, with the central cloud fading into a light blue, and the perspective construction of the arch find precise stylistic correspondences with documented works by Battaglioli. The previous attribution to Michele Marieschi, attested by the label on the back, is understandable due to the commonality of subjects and setting, but the pictorial execution, softer and more atmospheric compared to Marieschi's more incisive brushwork, confidently attributes the canvas to Francesco Battaglioli. Condition report: Canvas relined. Good condition of the painted surface, with signs of aging and wear. All shipments within the EU are free and professionally packaged. This item is sold with a legally valid certificate of authenticity. Further details on the condition report are available upon request. Viezzi Arte guarantees quality and professionalism at competitive prices, contact us at [email protected] or via WhatsApp at +39 3402841279. Message to non-Italian buyers: This artwork has not yet obtained the free export certificate from Italy, issued by the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage, which attests that the artwork does not belong to the Italian cultural heritage and can therefore be exported freely. The regulation in force since 2026 provides for reduced times for works with a declared value of less than €50,000, established at the discretion of the expert commission: an average of 2-3 weeks from the submission of the request. All costs related to this procedure are included in the price. Disclaimer Rendering: The setting images are generated with AI for illustrative purposes and may not respect the real proportions of the artwork.