View of a villa with an Italian garden

Oil on canvas

100 x 143 cm.

In a gilded frame 113 x 155 cm.

We present this delightful composition, a large-scale painting that appears as a window onto a sumptuous 17th-century palace surrounded by its Italian-style garden, enriched by classical sculptures set on tall pedestals, slender cypress trees and decorative vases, whilst on the left one can see a multi-tiered fountain with water features, a classic element of the gardens of ancient residences.

Thanks to the stylistic characteristics of the work, which unquestionably reflect 17th-century Roman culture, we are inclined to attribute it to one of the Flemish painters who came to the Eternal City to study. In particular, there are many iconographic and stylistic parallels with a specific iconographic tradition adopted by the Flemish artist Isaac de Moucheron (Amsterdam 1667–1744) during his stay in Rome.

This is likely a place that actually existed, one of the many gardens that adorned the grand villas situated on the hills near Rome, although the type of vegetation and the setting might evoke the hilly areas near Florence.

The work is a masterful example of how the artist uses architecture and landscape to create an illusion of depth, with a wide central avenue guiding the viewer’s gaze towards a majestic palace with an imposing dome, typical of the Italian Renaissance or Baroque style.

The painting is dominated by warm shades of brown, ochre and dark green, which lend the scene a quiet, almost dreamlike and monumental air.

For comparison, we might consider the painting ‘View of the gardens of a palace with elegant figures in the garden with statues’, by a follower of Isaac de Moucheron (Amsterdam 1667 – Amsterdam 1744), and now in the National Trust (Hartwell House Collection, Buckinghamshire) (https://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1548023 ).

His favourite subjects included aristocratic parks with Baroque fountains, mythological statues, water terraces and idealised Roman ruins, and for this reason he became a go-to artist for the great bourgeois families who commissioned him to depict the gardens of their grand residences.

CONDITION: The painting is in good condition.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The painting is sold complete with an attractive frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.

We arrange and organise the transport of purchased works, both within Italy and abroad, using professional and insured carriers.

Should you wish to view this or other works in person, we would be delighted to welcome you to our new gallery in Riva del Garda, at Viale Giuseppe Canella 18. We look forward to seeing you!

Please contact us for any information or to arrange a visit; we will be happy to assist you.

Follow us on: