Book chapters & essays by Alessio Pasian
This paper explores the tradition of life drawing in Venice before the Academy of Fine Arts was o... more This paper explores the tradition of life drawing in Venice before the Academy of Fine Arts was officially opened in 1750. It delves into the practice of copy from the antiques, dissecting of corpses and life drawing activity in Venetian ateliers from the early Renaissance to the XVIII century, comparing it with what happened in other Italian cities and underlining one of its peculiar aspects, the presence of women as models in Venetian “academies”.
Pietro Negri’s Albero serafico is one of the paintings in the Frari that usually escapes notice, ... more Pietro Negri’s Albero serafico is one of the paintings in the Frari that usually escapes notice, despite its conspicuously large size. This neglect is due not only to its unfavourable, poorly lit position, but also to the fact that it is surrounded by such world-famous masterpieces as Titian’s two altarpieces. The result of this accidental oversight is that the work has been given almost no attention in the art-historical literature, although it deserves more than a rapid glance, not least on account of its unusual iconography. This chapter reconstructs the commission and its sources in the context of the Franciscan tradition of such representations, starting with the Lignum vitae and genealogical trees, with reference to the writings of St Francis. It evaluates both the traditional and innovative aspects of Negri’s work in relation to that of his precursors; prints in particular were the most widely diffused and accessible sources of such iconography. Finally the chapter reconsiders the role of the patron, fra Agostino Maffei, an unusual figure in Franciscan patronage and a member of a Veronese noble family. His careful deployment of his own wealth was almost entirely dedicated to enhancing the glory of the church of the Frari, especially in relation to two important artistic commissions: Pietro Negri’s painting and the Altar of the Cross by the sculptor Juste le Court.
Il 19 febbraio 1701 Scipione ed Enea Repeta inoltrano una supplica al Senato veneziano: chiedono,... more Il 19 febbraio 1701 Scipione ed Enea Repeta inoltrano una supplica al Senato veneziano: chiedono, in virtù dei privilegi derivanti dalle proprietà nel territorio di Campiglia dei Berici, di potersi fregiare del titolo marchionale. Nella zona era già esistito un castello, sulle rovine del quale avevano edificato "Fabriche non disdicevoli"; i possedimenti in zona garantivano, in forza di antichi diritti feudali, sia la qualifica comitale -di cui già potevano gloriarsi -che quella di marchesi. Nel settembre dello stesso anno, per mano del "nodaro ducale" Giacinto Fiorelli, il Senato dà risposta positiva 1 . L'episodio, peraltro marginale, è indicativo del rapporto tra la nobiltà locale e la Dominante, un rapporto sempre più sbilanciato a sfavore di Vicenza, in particolare dopo la ben nota riapertura del 'libro d'oro' che permetteva, dietro l'esborso di 100.000 ducati, l'acquisto del patriziato veneto. La questione, come noto, non era di poco conto. Dopo la 'dedizione' del 1404 Vicenza si era trovata costretta nelle maglie di una sudditanza ambivalente rispetto a Venezia: priva di un reale peso politico, sotto il controllo di "capitani" e "podestà" provenienti dalla Dominante, ma garantita negli antichi titoli e diritti feudali di cui l'aristocrazia locale si fregiava. La 'diluizione' del privilegio nobiliare portava con sé conseguenze sia sul piano sociale che politico, e le sempre più stringenti regole per poter sedere nel Consiglio Cittadino svilupparono esiti paradossali, tanto che nel 1733 i Provveditori sopra Feudi si trovarono costretti a mettere argini al "pernicioso abuso introdotto dalla troppo licenziosità de' sudditi nell'arrogarsi alcuno d'onorifici Titoli di Marchese, Conte, Cavalier e d'altra simile qualità" 2 . Il problematico rapporto tra 'centro' e 'periferia' nella Repubblica Veneta, oggetto di attente indagini in tempi recenti 3 , trova riflessi anche nel campo artistico; la produzione indigena alla fine del Seicento -dopo la stagione aurea di Francesco Maffei e Giulio Carpioni, protagonisti eccellenti anche nell'esigente mercato lagunare -si era presto inaridita e seccata, non avendo i due pittori lasciato eredi in grado di tenere alto il loro magistero 4 , e
Papers by Alessio Pasian
A recent exhibition of sixteenth to eighteenth centuries Venetian paintings from Silesian and Mor... more A recent exhibition of sixteenth to eighteenth centuries Venetian paintings from Silesian and Moravian collections, held in Brno, presented an interesting Narcissus (Ostrava, Fine Arts Gallery) attributed to Francesco Ruschi. This picture is here recognized as an important, high quality work by the Venetian artist Pietro Negri (1628 c.-1679), one of the prominent members of the so called “tenebrist” movement. The painting is discussed in the context of other works by the artist; a few remarks are given to its not so common subject, which Leon Battista Alberti regarded as a metaphor for the painter’s creative ability.
Presumed lost until now, Giulio Carpioni's painting depicting "The Flaying of Marsias" from Franc... more Presumed lost until now, Giulio Carpioni's painting depicting "The Flaying of Marsias" from Francesco Algarotti's collection has recently reappeared. The work is here published and discussed in the context of Count Algarotti's preferences. Algarotti owned seven paintings and twenty-nine drawings by Carpioni: after Giambattista Tiepolo, he was the best represented artist in the Count's collection.
Despite its extensiveness, the recognized corpus of drawings by Sebastiano Ricci is still missing... more Despite its extensiveness, the recognized corpus of drawings by Sebastiano Ricci is still missing sheets that can be securely linked to works from his early period. A heretofore unpublished drawing in the Louvre is now recognized as a preparatory sketch for "Pope Paul III Establishing the Jesuit Order", one of the paintings that Ricci made c. 1687–88 for Ranuccio II Farnese, now in the Museo Civico di Palazzo Farnese, Piacenza. This new sketch enables us to establish an important milestone in the painter’s early activity as a draftsman, and it may provide a further point of reference from which to arrange and organize his graphic oeuvre chronologically.
This paper presents a new painting by Pietro Vecchia (1602 c.-1678), probably dating to the sixth... more This paper presents a new painting by Pietro Vecchia (1602 c.-1678), probably dating to the sixth decade of the Seventeenth century and representative of his most classical style, formerly deposited in the Museum of Arad (Romania) with an attribution to Carlo Caliari. The work displays an interesting iconography, Saturn who kidnaps Cupid from Venus: a depiction of the purest Baroque spirit, aimed to represent that Time ta- kes away Love. We do not know the original location of the canvas, or who commissioned it, but it is of great interest that we can recognize it – albeit with some variations – within a painting by Oreste Da Molin recently rediscovered, dated 1880, depicting an antique shop. Among the paintings on display in this shop there is also a David and Goliath, which can be recognized with another work – by an anonymous author – presented here with a discussion of its possible paternity.
The personality of Ambrogio Bon, perhaps Johann Carl Loth’s closest collaborator, raised the inte... more The personality of Ambrogio Bon, perhaps Johann Carl Loth’s closest collaborator, raised the interest of various scholars in recent years, who tried to focus his profile in relation to that of his more famous master, but the scarcity of documents and works has so far confined him in the role of a minor artist, not yet well defined. The present contribution reveals the date of his death, hitherto unknown, and adds a new work to his catalogue, an interesting altarpiece depicting "San Filippo Neri kneeling in front of the Virgin and Child", kept in the Venetian church of San Giuseppe di Castello, which can be put alongside the few certain works of the painter.
Federico Cervelli is one of the leading characters of the Venetian painting of the Seventeenth ce... more Federico Cervelli is one of the leading characters of the Venetian painting of the Seventeenth century whose catalogue, until now, had not been offered a convincing chronological reconstruction, lacking even the most basic biographical details, such as his date of birth. This study rebuilds the painter’s biography with new archival data and proposes a new chronology of his corpus, including several additions, while at the same time investigating his relationships with the major ‘players’ of his time: Pietro Liberi, Luca Giordano, Giuseppe Diamantini, Nicolò Bambini, Giovanni Carboncino.
Girolamo Brusaferro (1677-1745) was appreciated for his works both sacred and profane. Several hi... more Girolamo Brusaferro (1677-1745) was appreciated for his works both sacred and profane. Several hitherto unpublished paintings of both subjects are presented here, including a notable altarpiece with the "Miracle of San Pellegrino Laziosi" emigrated to the United States, which perhaps was originally in the Venetian church of San Giacomo della Giudecca. Another important acquisition to his catalogue is "Abraham and the angels" of the State Hermitage Museum, attributed so far to Sebastiano Ricci.
The article presents some new works, both paintings and drawings, by Antonio Molinari and Antonio... more The article presents some new works, both paintings and drawings, by Antonio Molinari and Antonio Arrigoni, kept in public and private collections, and proposes some thoughts on Molinari's working method, from the initial design to the finished work. It is then taken into consideration Antonio Arrigoni's practice of reprise and variation upon works by both Molinari and Giambattista Pittoni, and how he reformed his stylistic output in order to adapt to the changes in taste and style that occured in Venetian art during his last years.
Stefano Conti's collection of Venetian and Bolognese paintings was one of the most prominent of h... more Stefano Conti's collection of Venetian and Bolognese paintings was one of the most prominent of his times, featuring such artists as Marcantonio Franceschini, Nicolò Cassana, Gregorio Lazzarini, Antonio Balestra, Alessandro Marchesini. Among the paintings there was a "Saint Rosalia" by Antonio Bellucci, for which it is here proposed an identification with a recently rediscovered work in a private collection, mistakenly recognized as an Allegory of Vanity.
Exhibition catalogues by Alessio Pasian
Catalogo della mostra (Verona, palazzo della Gran Guardia, 5 luglio - 5 ottobre 2014), a cura di ... more Catalogo della mostra (Verona, palazzo della Gran Guardia, 5 luglio - 5 ottobre 2014), a cura di B. Aikema e P. Marini, Electa, Milano 2014, pp. 176-177, cat. 3.2.
Uploads
Book chapters & essays by Alessio Pasian
Papers by Alessio Pasian
Exhibition catalogues by Alessio Pasian