Rosa da Tivoli

The "Rural Scene" (oil on canvas, 90 x 113 cm without frame and 110 x 125 cm with coeval frame), focused solely on the presence of animals – an ox, a cow, two sheep, and a goat – may constitute an exception in this specific genre, but it reflects the prevalent and constant practice of Philipp Peter Roos, known as "Rosa da Tivoli" (Frankfurt am Main 1657 - Rome 1705), to whose hand the painting in question is to be assigned. A judgment fully supported by the verifiable manifestation of the master's most peculiar qualities, both in terms of painting and invention. In fact, the painting is centered on Roos' preferred theme, framed as usual against a landscape background with ancient ruins and the remains of an aqueduct, typical of the countryside around Rome, with indirect inspiration from Tivoli. This town is where the painter owned a country house, with various animals that, together with their shepherd and the caretaker of the house, are often the usual characters in his pastoral representations. In these, Philipp - more commonly known by his Italianized nickname of "Rosa da Tivoli" - expresses compositions almost always centered on the presence, rather than people, of animals, usually sheep, goats, and cows, which sometimes dominate the foregrounds with an excessive emergence, so much so that they may appear looming. Our painting does not incur this defect, as the expository scale of the animals is not excessive and appears happily absorbed by the receding planes up to the aforementioned landscape background, also thanks to the smooth and full-bodied pictorial rendering, underpinned by constructive chromatic contrasts and chiaroscuro passages. Son and pupil of Johann Heinrich, also a famous and valuable animal painter, specializing in pastoral scenes, Philipp moved very young to Rome in 1677, rapidly Italianizing himself, both socially and culturally; as attested by the biographies dedicated to him by Pio and Pascoli. In 1681, he married a daughter of Giacinto Brandi, an emerging master of Roman painting of the late seventeenth century, whose pictorial imprint, essentially Baroque, is clearly reflected in the styles, both figurative and technical, of Rosa da Tivoli, who enjoyed fervent success with the Roman clientele, including the aristocracy. At Palazzo Taverna, an entire hall is decorated only with his paintings, at least about fifty. An accurate volume, accompanied by a good illustrated repertoire, has been curated by Hermann Jedding on the prolific Roos family of painters (Johann Heinrich Roos. Werke einer Pfalzer Tiermalerfamilie in der Galerien Europas, V.P. von Zabern ed., Mainz 1998), in which Philipp Peter naturally has a primary role together with the aforementioned founder. The paintings and art objects published here are my exclusive property and, consequently, are always available to be viewed in person, by appointment, in my exhibition venues located in Sanremo and Brescia. The work, like all our objects, is sold accompanied by a FIMA photographic certificate of authenticity and lawful origin; this document identifies the object, adding value to the item. We personally handle and organize the packaging and shipping of works of art with insurance worldwide. Dr. Riccardo Moneghini Art Historian