(Modena 1725–1796 Venetian)
View of a villa with a fountain, gardens and elegant figures,
oil on canvas, 81 x 156 cm, framed

Provenance:
European private collection.

We are grateful to Prof Giancarlo Sestieri for confirming the authenticity of this painting having examined it in the original (written communication dated 26.2.2001).

We are also grateful to Dr Annalisa Scarpa, who independently confirmed the authenticity.

Prof Sestieri dates the painting to after Francesco Battaglioli’s return to Venice from Madrid, where he was active at the court of Ferdinand VI between 1754 and 1760. The composition is comparable with two perspectival view, published by Pallucchini (see ‘Conclusioni su Francesco Battaglioli’ in Arte veneta, XXXIX, 1985, pp. 175-177, ills. 1-2 and 4). The artist demonstrates similar stylistic traits in his paintings; on the one hand, the veduta genre and, on the other, the painting of architectural views. In Madrid Battagliolo worked as a stage painter, where his capabilities as a painter of fantastical architecture were combined with his predilection for theatrical staging. According to Sestieri the figures in this painting may also be attributed to Francesco Battaglioli.