Bottega di Johann Anton Eismann (1604-1698)

Workshop of Johann Anton Eismann (1604-1698) Landscape with ruins and figures Oil on canvas, 110.5 x 93 cm Framed, 123 x 104 cm The background depicts a rocky coastline overlooking the sea with some buildings perched on the edge of the cliff and others built along the strips of land that close off the small gulfs and inlets of the coast. Some boats sail the waters and the sketched figures of men can barely be seen on board the boats; the woman and child in the foreground stand out more clearly, but without distracting the viewer's attention from the grandiose panoramic view, captured in the twilight phase of the day. The elongated shadows, the sky inflamed by the last lights, and the warm colors rendered by the rays of the sunset immerse us in the exact moment of the day, now coming to an end. The lighting effects reverberate on the sky that changes from yellow to blue, on the rocks between reddish and ocher, and on the almost evanescent surface of the sea. On the contrary, the backlit parts fade to darker and colder tones, creating a natural and gradual contrast between the various sections of the painting. The geographical origin of the work is also revealed to us by the boat, similar to the bucentaur of the Venetian Doges, red and gold whose bow emerges in the strip of sea right in front of the trabeated columns and the fountain in the foreground. Furthermore, the skillful use of colors, displayed in such a wide range and rendered with dense glazes, further reveals the proximity to the Venetian school. In fact, the work, due to its stylistic and compositional proximity, can be traced back to the Austrian painter Johann Anton Eismann (1604-1698), who was active in Verona and Venice. Johann Anton Eismann, originally from Salzburg, left an indelible mark on the artistic panorama of the 17th century. After studying mathematics in Munich and refining his painting skills at the court of the Bavarian Prince-Elector, Eismann moved to Rome in 1650. It was in the Eternal City that he specialized in the genre of battle, fascinated by the works of the great Venetian masters such as Tintoretto, Titian and Paolo Veronese. In Rome, Eismann formed important collaborations with artists of the caliber of Salvator Rosa, Michelangelo Cerquozzi and Giovanni Ghisolfi, thus expanding his training and stylistic repertoire. In 1653, attracted by the lively artistic scene of the Serenissima, he moved to Venice, where he received prestigious commissions from important personalities of the time, including Count Mathias van der Schulenberg and Prince Bishop Charles of Liechtenstein Catelcorno. Eismann's production is extremely versatile: from battle scenes to lively port paintings, from evocative landscapes to portraits, his work spans a vast range of subjects. His style, characterized by great technical mastery and chromatic vivacity, has exerted a profound influence on subsequent painters, in particular on Luca Carlevarijs, considered the precursor of the Venetian view. In turn, Carlevarijs would pass on this legacy to the young Canaletto, giving rise to one of the most famous painting schools in the history of art. The Venetian nobility, appreciating his skill and versatility, kept Eismann constantly busy, entrusting him with numerous assignments. The artist also decides to adopt one of his pupils, Carlo Brisighella, to whom he transmits his knowledge and style. Brisighella, who will take the stage name of Charles Eismann, will continue to paint the same subjects as the master, thus perpetuating his artistic legacy. Venice will be the city that will welcome Eismann until his death in 1698. The Austrian artist, with his rich and varied work, has left an indelible mark on the history of art, contributing significantly to the development of Venetian painting in the 17th century. Numerous references can be found in the other works in the painter's catalog, see the Architectural Capriccio with herds of the National Gallery of Prague, the Landscape with waterfall of the Morandotti Foundation, Rome but also the Mediterranean port with figures of the Civic Museums of Vicenza by his son Brisighella.