Gaspare Diziani (1689 Belluno – 1767 Venezia)

Gaspare Diziani (1689 Belluno - 1767 Venice) Pair of paintings VENUS IN VULCAN'S FORGE / VENUS AND NEPTUNE Oil on canvas 90.5 x 101 cm each SOLD The two related paintings, in which the elements fire and water are allegorically thematized, were likely formerly part of a decorative cycle, complemented by the additional motifs of "air" and "earth." Corresponding to the size, the pictures are likely to have been integrated as overdoors in very high state rooms or the main hall of an Italian palace. Stylistically, these representations can be traced back to Diziani's teacher, Sebastiano Ricci, from whom engravings were also known. Following the theme and its tradition, Venus is here depicted on a dolphin in waves, with a respectful look towards the sea god, who stands in a shell and graciously leans towards her soothingly. The velum of the goddess of love is held high by a putto. In the opposite, Venus appears outside the forge cave in clouds while she is holding a bronze vessel, probably made by Vulcan. Here, too, a cupid boy with a helmet appears as a mediator. In a sense, both paintings show the gesture of appeasing the forces of nature through Venus, who in the latter picture prefers the beautiful jug object to the war helmet. Those two paintings present a really high quality, corresponding to a courtly furnishing requirement, which is also to be understood with regard to the former high room hanging. Diziani has long been regarded as the most important successor to his teacher Sebastiano Ricci (1659-1734). From 1717 he stayed in Dresden, appointed by August III. In the meantime, four over-portals were created in the Munich Residence in 1718, and he later worked in Rome and Venice. Diziani's two sons Antonio (1737-1797) and Giuseppe (1744-1821) worked with him on his extensive commissions.