'The play of light and shadow, the animation by small characters (a little sparse), make enjoyable this view of the Campo di SS. Giovanni e Paolo with its canal and its gondolas, a small bridge, palaces and churches. The equestrian statue of Colleoni, clearly visible, is two and a half centuries old at that time.'
This oil on canvas 62 x 98 cm had been authenticated as made by Michele Marieschi by the best specialist of this artist before it sold at Sotheby's for $ 400K including premium on January 27, 2006.
My previous discussion had announced it in a sale by Hampel where it fetched € 380K before fees, lot 209, on July 4, 2008. This result which was far below the lower estimate is no more accessible in the archives of that auction house.
It will now be sold by Dorotheum in Vienna on April 25, lot 117 estimated € 300K. The new catalogue provides additional informations that were not available (or which I could not find) in 2008.
This nice view is not an original composition by Marieschi and probably not fully from his hand but it indeed brings an interesting insight within the practice of the early vedutisti around Canaletto.
The original was painted by Canaletto. It is preserved in the National Gallery of Art in Washington with an estimated date 1731-1732.
The painting for sale is a copy for the composition and also for the colors but not for the use of impasto. If it is confirmed to be by Marieschi a date between 1733 and 1735 is acceptable. The details of the architecture in the background have probably been painted by an assistant.
Marieschi is known to have produced in 1738 another painting of the same view and to have included its engraving in his collection of 21 prints of Venice in 1741.
The hypothesis that the painting for sale was made by Francesco Albotto at a later date cannot be dismissed. Albotto was a pupil of Marieschi who married his widow after the master died in January 1744 aged 33.
SOLD for € 345K including premium