Odoardo Borrani (1833-1905), Attributed to - Colline di Fiesole

Odoardo Borrani (1833–1905) – Hills of Fiesole, Florence

Oil on canvas, signed “O. Borrani” at the lower right
Artwork dimensions: 18 × 30 cm
19th century
Purchased and now sold with accompanying expertise

I propose an oil on canvas painting attributed to Odoardo Borrani (Pisa 1833 – Florence 1905), depicting a suggestive view of the hills of Fiesole, with architectures, a terrace and foreground vegetation, and the rolling landscape in the background.

The composition presents a close, highly atmospheric vision of the Tuscan countryside. The presence of potted plants, the parapet, and the architecture introduce a sequence of planes that guide the eye toward the distant hills.

The painting is characterized by earthy, greens, ocher and red tones, juxtaposed with cooler hues of the sky and the hills. Notably evident is the attention to the rendering of natural light and the atmospheric perception of the landscape.

These elements are consistent with Borrani’s search within the scope of 19th-century Tuscan painting and the Macchiaioli culture, in which direct observation of nature and the construction of the image through light and color relations play a central role.

DOCUMENTATION
The work is accompanied by an expert report in which the professional states that he has examined the painting directly from stylistic, compositional, chromatic, technical and material standpoints, also considering the signature on the recto.

The expert report concludes by recognizing the painting as:
“Opera di Odoardo Borrani (Florence, 1833–1905)”
and identifies the work with the title:
“Hills of Fiesole.”

The documentation specifies the presence of the signature “O. Borrani” at the lower right and inscriptions on the back of the canvas.

TECHNICAL DATA
* Artist: Odoardo Borrani (1833–1905)
* Title: Hills of Fiesole, Florence
* Technique: oil on canvas
* Dimensions: 18 × 30 cm
* Dimensions with frame: about 46 × 34 cm
* Signature: “O. Borrani,” at the lower right
* Period: 19th century
* School: Tuscan painting / Macchiaioli
* Provenance: private collection
* Expertise: present, dated 14/03/2018
* Frame: present

CONDITION REPORT
The work presents overall excellent conservation conditions, compatible with the technique, the type of support, and the period of execution.

The pictorial film remains overall stable and preserved, with slight surface alterations and a physiological loss of uniformity of color brilliance attributable to natural aging of the materials.

No extensive lacunae, significant lifting of the pictorial film, or macroscopic deformations of the support are detected.

The canvas is overall well preserved and shows no evident tears or structural failures of particular magnitude."