Alfonso Simonetti (1840-1892), Attributed to - Campagna Romana

Alfonso Simonetti (Naples 1840 - Castrocielo 1892) "L' acquedotto Claudio", oil on canvas dated 1870/90, canvas only, with a contemporary frame, measurements 62 x 80 cm; with frame 76 x 94 cm. Signed lower left "A. Simonetti". From a private collection, entrusted by me to a professional restorer for cleaning and reinforcement of the frame. It is therefore in excellent condition. I am selling due to moving house. Possible shipment at buyer's expense. Alfonso Simonetti was introduced to painting by his father Giuseppe Simonetti. He enrolled at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Napoli, where he trained under artists such as G. Mancinelli, G. Smargiassi, and F. Palizzi. During his student years he took an interest in the landscapes of the Tuscan and Lazio countryside, combining scenes of popular life. A famous work of his is the painting "Roman countryside at sunset" purchased by the King. Then "L' acquedotto Claudio" and other oils from the period after 1860. Works from this period include: "A Castrocielo", "La toletta di promessa", "Palazzolo Castrocielo", "Andando per acqua", "Via Giuseppe Mancinelli", "Costume di Palazzolo Castrocielo", "L' ultimo raggio", "Campagna di terra di lavoro". Some results of Simonetti’s works that have appeared at auction houses: 1) FINARTE Milano, June 8, 2022, "Ritorno a Mantova", oil on canvas 53.5 x 80, signed and dated bottom left A. Simonetti 1870. Sold for €3,584. 2) BABUINO Rome, December 5, 2023, "La lettera", oil on canvas 119 x 93, signed and dated 1870, base estimate €2,500. Sale price not found online. 3) CHRISTIE'S, New York, May 24, 2023, "E ancor non torna", large oil on canvas 187 x 115, signed bottom left. Sold for $30,240. Moreover, some Italian art galleries, particularly in Rome, offer works by this 19th‑century painter. Simply typing the painter’s name into an internet search engine yields a very wide range of information. He is a well‑known and highly regarded author, especially in Rome, having spent more than half of his life in Castrocielo, where he died in 1892. The painting was purchased by me a few years ago from a Neapolitan family. I was told that the family had themselves received it many years earlier as a gift from an elderly Neapolitan nobleman in his eighties, in exchange for personal assistance.