Giacomo Nani (Porto Ercole 1698 - Napoli 1770)

Giacomo Nani (Porto Ercole 1698 - Naples 1770) Still life with flowers, elevated stand with crystals and liqueurs, icebox, porcelain and basket with biscuits Oil on canvas (cm 64 x 73 - Framed cm 83 x 93) Provenance (see images): - Dorotheum (April 14, 2005) Vienna, Lot 37 Estimate: €20,000 EUR - €30,000 EUR - Dorotheum (October 15, 2008), Lot 281 Estimate: €18,000 EUR - €25,000 EUR The proposed painting is a work by the Neapolitan painter Giacomo Nani (Porto Ercole 1698 - Naples 1770) and delights us with a selection of elements favored in the creation of his precious still lifes; on a stone shelf, on which is placed an embroidered carpet, we see a series of objects, including two painted porcelain cups, an elevated stand with two bottles of liqueur and crystal glasses; there is also a transparent glass vase filled with flowers, and finally food items, a basket with biscuits, a wrapped Neapolitan eggplant and an icebox with an oyster. Everything is arranged to create a refined and elegant ensemble. A pupil of Gaspare Lopez (Naples - Venice ca. 1732), one of the greatest genre painters of the time, Giacomo Nani developed, over time, an autonomous personality, much appreciated by nobles and collectors of the eighteenth century, among whom we mention the Duchess of Terranova and the Duke of Limatola, as well as the Bourbons. In particular, many of his paintings were owned by King Charles of Bourbon, now preserved in Naples and Caserta at the art gallery of the Royal Estate of Carditello. Twenty-four canvases by Giacomo Nani were sent to Spain by Charles of Bourbon as a gift to his mother, Elisabetta Farnese, and today are preserved at the Royal Palace of Riofrío, one of the residences of the Spanish royal family, and at the Royal Palace of Granja de San Ildefonso, in Segovia. A painter of still lifes, his works were often dedicated to the most diverse foodstuffs, his compositions feature foods of the time and in particular, precisely in the series preserved in Spain, are represented, as in a selected menu, most of the dishes that were served in those years on the tables of Neapolitans. He sometimes depicted objects typical of the Neapolitan tradition as in the present painting, the typical rosolio wine, the Capodimonte ceramics and the icebox: the latter, in particular, constitute almost an identifying feature of the painter, being present in many of his paintings. For comparative purposes, we see for example three signed works, therefore of certain attribution, precisely: ''Still life with slices of fish, box of molluscs, basket of figs, melon and vegetables'' (Christie's, Milan, November 29, 2006, n. 53, imm.1), ''Still life with plate of watermelon, ice cream, cups, sweets and flowers''''/''Still life with porcelain, vase of flowers, basket of donuts, bread, flask and glasses (Private Collection , Bergamo, imm. 2 and 3), and again ''The interior of the kitchen'' (Naples, Museo di Capodimonte, imm.4). Imm 1: https://catalogo.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/scheda/opera/89643/Nani%20Giacomo%2C%20Natura%20morta%20con... Imm 2: https://catalogo.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/scheda/opera/89644/Nani%20Giacomo%2C%20Natura%20morta%20con... Imm 2: https://catalogo.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/scheda/opera/89642/Nani%20Giacomo%2C%20Natura%20morta%20con... Imm 4: https://catalogo.beniculturali.it/detail/HistoricOrArtisticProperty/1500814521#lg=1&slide=0 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The work is sold complete with a pleasant frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and descriptive iconographic sheet. We take care of and organize the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers. It is also possible to see the painting in the gallery of Riva del Garda, we will be happy to welcome you to show you our collection of works. Contact us, without obligation, for any additional information. Follow us also on: https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/