Niccolò Cassana (1659–1714), Circle of - Ritratto di Nicolò Contarini
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€ 200
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Selected by Caroline Bokobza
Graduated as French auctioneer and worked in Sotheby’s Paris valuation department.
Estimate € 1,400 - € 1,600
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 Bidder 4940 | €200 |
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Ritratto di Nicolò Contarini, from the XVIII century, oil painting, Italy, sold with frame.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Nicolò Cassana
Venice, 1659 – London, 1714
Subject: Portrait of the noble Nicolò Contarini, Captain of Padua
Technique: Oil on canvas
Measurements: 90 × 74 cm (canvas) / 107 × 90 cm (with frame)
Period: Late 17th century
Description of the work
The painting depicts the Venetian noble Nicolò Contarini, portrayed in half-length according to the standards of official portraiture of late Seventeenth-century Venice. The figure is captured with a composed and authoritative pose while holding a letter on which his name and the title of Captain of Padua are clearly legible, adding significant documentary value to the work. Next to it, the presence of an official document bearing the lion of San Marco, attributable to a ducal commission, emphasizes the public role of the figure and his function as a representative of the Serenissima in the mainland.
The rendering of the face, attentive to luministic modulations and psychological characterization, conveys a vigilant and measured expression. The clothing, characterized by fur and lace details typical of the formal attire of Venetian captains, is described with meticulous attention to materiality. The compositional layout, essential and free of superfluous elements, along with the contained palette and neutral dark background, reflects the portraiture style of Nicolò Cassana, aimed at a dignified and official representation of the subject, in line with the celebratory and institutional needs of the Venetian patrons of the time.
Biographical notes
Nicolò Cassana was one of the most important Venetian portraitists active between the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Trained in the Venetian environment, he quickly established himself as a portrait painter for the aristocracy and for representatives of the magistracies of the Serenissima. His style, characterized by a solid compositional approach, careful facial rendering, and a measured use of light, made him particularly suitable for official portraiture. Later moving to London, where he was appointed painter to Queen Anne's court, Cassana contributed to the international dissemination of Venetian portraiture. His works are now housed in important public and private collections.
Professional and tracked shipping with careful packaging.
Nicolò Cassana
Venice, 1659 – London, 1714
Subject: Portrait of the noble Nicolò Contarini, Captain of Padua
Technique: Oil on canvas
Measurements: 90 × 74 cm (canvas) / 107 × 90 cm (with frame)
Period: Late 17th century
Description of the work
The painting depicts the Venetian noble Nicolò Contarini, portrayed in half-length according to the standards of official portraiture of late Seventeenth-century Venice. The figure is captured with a composed and authoritative pose while holding a letter on which his name and the title of Captain of Padua are clearly legible, adding significant documentary value to the work. Next to it, the presence of an official document bearing the lion of San Marco, attributable to a ducal commission, emphasizes the public role of the figure and his function as a representative of the Serenissima in the mainland.
The rendering of the face, attentive to luministic modulations and psychological characterization, conveys a vigilant and measured expression. The clothing, characterized by fur and lace details typical of the formal attire of Venetian captains, is described with meticulous attention to materiality. The compositional layout, essential and free of superfluous elements, along with the contained palette and neutral dark background, reflects the portraiture style of Nicolò Cassana, aimed at a dignified and official representation of the subject, in line with the celebratory and institutional needs of the Venetian patrons of the time.
Biographical notes
Nicolò Cassana was one of the most important Venetian portraitists active between the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Trained in the Venetian environment, he quickly established himself as a portrait painter for the aristocracy and for representatives of the magistracies of the Serenissima. His style, characterized by a solid compositional approach, careful facial rendering, and a measured use of light, made him particularly suitable for official portraiture. Later moving to London, where he was appointed painter to Queen Anne's court, Cassana contributed to the international dissemination of Venetian portraiture. His works are now housed in important public and private collections.
Professional and tracked shipping with careful packaging.
Details
Artist
Niccolò Cassana (1659–1714)
Sold with frame
Yes
Attribution
Circle of
Title of artwork
Ritratto di Nicolò Contarini
Technique
Oil painting
Signature
Not signed
Country of Origin
Italy
Condition
Good condition
Height
107 cm
Width
90 cm
Period
18th century
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