ANTONIO BALESTRA (cerchia di)(Verona 1666-1740). Oil painting on canvas depicting "VENUS ASKS MARS TO FORGE WEAPONS FOR ENEA". Framed. Already relined and re-stretched. Restoration. ANTONIO BALESTRA (cerchia di)(Verona 1666-1740). Dipinto olio su tela raffigurante "VENERE CHIEDE A MARTE DI FORGIARE LE ARMI PER ENEA". In cornice. Già rintelato e rintelaiato. Restauri.
DIE GEBURT JESU Öl auf Leinwand. Doubliert. 55,5 x 73,5 cm In dekorativem Rahmen. Im Mittelpunkt dieser nächtlichen Darstellung steht Maria, vor dem Stall in Betlehem, mit ihrem in einer strohbedeckten Grippe auf einem weißen Tuch liegenden Sohn Jesus. Sie umarmt ihn mit ihrer rechten Hand, während ihre ausgestreckte Linke einen Teil des weißen Lakens nach oben hält. Liebevoll und ehrfürchtig blickt sie ihn an, während er ihren Blick erwidert. Von Jesus scheint das Licht auszugehen, welches nicht nur Ihn sondern auch Maria und Teile ihres Gesichtes erhellt, sowie die linksseitig stehenden und im Himmel erscheinenden Putti. Die Darstellung bezieht sich auf das Evangelium des Johannes (Jh, 8,12), in dem Jesus spricht: „Ich bin das Licht der Welt. Wer mir nachfolgt wird nicht wandeln in der Finsternis.“ Einfühlsame Darstellung in überwiegend weichen Farbtönen mit gekonnter Lichtinszenierung. Balestra war Schüler von Antonio Bellucci (1654-1726) und später von Carlo Maratta (1625-1713), dessen Stil auch seine Malerei prägte. 1695 gründete er in seiner Heimatstadt Verona seine eigene Schule. Zu seinen Schülern zählten Pietro Antonio Rotari (1707-1762), Gianbettino Cignaroli (1706-1770) sowie Mattia Bortoloni (1696-1750) und Giovanni Giambattista Pittoni (1687-1767). Sein unverwechselbarer Stil mit weich modulierten Körpern in meist gold leuchtendem Inkarnat ist auch in dem vorliegenden Bild deutlich spürbar. (14204120) (18)
Antonio BALESTRA (Vérone, 1666 - 1740) L'éducation de l'Amour Toile The education of Love, canvas, by A. Balestra 39.37 x 32.68 in. 100.0 x 83.0 cm Provenance : Collection M. Barbier de La Bonnetière, Nantes (selon le catalogue de la vente de 1894, la collection aurait été formée lors de voyages en Europe avec le diplomate François Cacault vers la fin du XVIIIe siècle) ; Par succession à la baronne de La Tour-du-Pin Chambly, petite fille de M. Barbier de La Bonnetière, Nantes (selon le catalogue de la vente de 1894) ; Par succession au baron Charles Gabriel René Berlion de La Tour-du-Pin Chambly de La Charce (1820-1891), Nantes ; Sa vente ; Paris, Hôtel Drouot (Me Duchesne), 26 février 1894, n° 20 (comme Sebastiano Conca, adjugé 340 francs) ; Collection du roi Carol II de Roumanie (1893-1953) ; Collection M. Victor Guibert du Château de Cabrières, Aveyron ; Sa vente ; Paris, Palais Galliera, Mes Maurice et Philippe Rheims, 8 décembre 1964, n° 13 (comme attribué à Sebastiano Conca) ; Acquis à cette vente par les parents de l'actuel propriétaire ; Collection particulière, Nouvelle-Aquitaine Oeuvres en rapport : Une autre version de cette composition appartenait à la collection Giancarlo Gallino (112 x 98 cm, datée vers 1710-1715, L. Ghio, E. Baccheschi, Antonio Balestra, in Pittori Bergamaschi, Il Settecento, Bergamo 1989, II, p. 219, n°121, p. 284, fig. 3). Une autre réplique passée en vente à Vienne. (Vente anonyme ; Vienne, Dorotheum, 9 juin 2020, n° 92, avec son pendant représentant Zéphyrs, Flore et Cupidon (huile sur toile, 112 x 98 cm). Né à Vérone, Balestra se forma à Venise, à vingt ans, auprès d'Antonio Bellucci, dont il conserva toujours le large sens décoratif ; puis il séjourna à Rome à partir de 1690, y fréquenta l'atelier de Carlo Maratta, dont l'influence sera déterminante pour lui et dont il s'appropria cette grâce corrégienne qui le distingue. Au cours des deux premières décennies du XVIIIe siècle, après s'être établi à Venise, il rencontre un succès européen en réalisant des sujets religieux et mythologiques : sa peinture fluide et gracieuse a été très recherchée en Allemagne, en Angleterre, en Hollande et au Danemark. Il tempère le classicisme de ses maîtres par la connaissance des artistes rococo, Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini et Jacopo Amigoni. Au cours des années 1720, il retourna à Vérone, où il reçut en 1725 l'annonce de son élection à l'Accademia di San Luca à Rome. Notre toile représente l'éducation du jeune Cupidon par Vénus et Mercure, un thème dont l'iconographie avait été fixée par la célèbre représentation du Corrège (National Gallery de Londres). A l'artiste de Parme, il emprunte aussi le luminisme, irradiant depuis le centre, de l'Adoration des bergers, dite la Nuit (Dresde, Gemäldegalerie). Ce thème qui n'est pas tiré de la mythologique grecque mais de l 'Ars Amandi (Art de l'amour) d'Ovide, est devenu particulièrement populaire dans la peinture baroque, comme en témoignent les œuvres de Nicolas Chaperon (Paris, musée du Louvre), François Boucher (Berlin, Charlottenbourg). On découvre souvent sur la feuille d’étude de l’enfant des représentations de croquis mathématiques ou de géométrie, deux « arts libéraux » indispensables à la construction des arcs et aux calculs de l'angle des flèches, dont se sert l’Amour. Probablement, notre peintre connaissait-il l'une des cinq versions de ce thème par Benedetto Luti (1666-1724). La plus connue est conservée à Pommersfelden, Schloss Weissenstein (l'auteur de la monographie sur Luti la décrit comme une « Sacra Famiglia Pagana » qui s’appliquerait aussi à notre composition). Antonio Balestra modernise le sujet dans le style rocaille de son temps, plus tendre, plus féminin. Antonio BALESTRA (Vérone, 1666 - 1740) 100.0 x 83.0 cm Oeuvres en rapport : Une autre version de cette composition appartenait à la collection Giancarlo Gallino (112 x 98 cm, datée vers 1710-1715, L. Ghio, E. Baccheschi, Antonio Balestra, in Pittori Bergamaschi, Il Settecento, Bergamo 1989, II, p. 219, n°121, p. 284, fig. 3). Une autre réplique passée en vente à Vienne. (Vente anonyme ; Vienne, Dorotheum, 9 juin 2020, n° 92, avec son pendant représentant Zéphyrs, Flore et Cupidon (huile sur toile, 112 x 98 cm). Né à Vérone, Balestra se forma à Venise, à vingt ans, auprès d'Antonio Bellucci, dont il conserva toujours le large sens décoratif ; puis il séjourna à Rome à partir de 1690, y fréquenta l'atelier de Carlo Maratta, dont l'influence sera déterminante pour lui et dont il s'appropria cette grâce corrégienne qui le distingue. Au cours des deux premières décennies du XVIIIe siècle, après s'être établi à Venise, il rencontre un succès européen en réalisant des sujets religieux et mythologiques : sa peinture fluide et gracieuse a été très recherchée en Allemagne, en Angleterre, en Hollande et au Danemark. Il tempère le classicisme de ses maîtres par la connaissance des artistes rococo, Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini et Jacopo Amigoni. Au cours des années 1720, il retourna à Vérone, où il reçut en 1725 l'annonce de son élection à l'Accademia di San Luca à Rome. Notre toile représente l'éducation du jeune Cupidon par Vénus et Mercure, un thème dont l'iconographie avait été fixée par la célèbre représentation du Corrège (National Gallery de Londres). A l'artiste de Parme, il emprunte aussi le luminisme, irradiant depuis le centre, de l'Adoration des bergers, dite la Nuit (Dresde, Gemäldegalerie). Ce thème qui n'est pas tiré de la mythologique grecque mais de l'Ars Amandi (Art de l'amour) d'Ovide, est devenu particulièrement populaire dans la peinture baroque, comme en témoignent les œuvres de Nicolas Chaperon (Paris, musée du Louvre), François Boucher (Berlin, Charlottenbourg). On découvre souvent sur la feuille d’étude de l’enfant des représentations de croquis mathématiques ou de géométrie, deux « arts libéraux » indispensables à la construction des arcs et aux calculs de l'angle des flèches, dont se sert l’Amour. Probablement, notre peintre connaissait-il l'une des cinq versions de ce thème par Benedetto Luti (1666-1724). La plus connue est conservée à Pommersfelden, Schloss Weissenstein (l'auteur de la monographie sur Luti la décrit comme une « Sacra Famiglia Pagana » qui s’appliquerait aussi à notre composition). Antonio Balestra modernise le sujet dans le style rocaille de son temps, plus tendre, plus féminin.
AFTER ANTONIO BALESTRA (VERONA, 1666-1740) AFTER ANTONIO BALESTRA (VERONA, 1666-1740) Saint Sebastian nursed by Saint Irene, with Saint Lucy in attendance oil on poplar 30.5 x 47.5 cm (12 x 18 3/4 in.) overall framed: 39 x 56 cm (15 1/4 x 22 in.) After the Painting in the Hermitage, St. Petersburg. The panel and treatment point to its execution during the late 17th century the work is on a substantial poplar wood panel, the paint surface with passages of fine transparent glazes and accented with fine impasto to the cloth. A comparison between the present work and known works reveals a comparable treatment of light and a similar characterisation of the figures. Antonio Balestra was one of the most significant painters of the late Baroque period in Italy, and he produced a wide range of works in various genres, including religious and historical paintings, portraits, and genre scenes. Balestra was trained in Verona, where he studied under Francesco Ruschi and then moved to Venice in 1690. In Venice, he became influenced by the works of Paolo Veronese and Tintoretto and began developing his style, which was characterised by a harmonious use of colour, dramatic lighting, and emotional intensity as can be seen in the present panel. Balestra's early works were primarily religious subjects, and he gained recognition for his ability to create dramatic and moving scenes. He also painted portraits, which were highly sought after by the Venetian aristocracy, and he became famous for his ability to capture the likeness of his subjects while also imbuing them with a sense of dignity and elegance. Later in his career, Balestra began painting mythological and historical scenes, which were characterised by their dramatic compositions, bold use of colour, and intense emotion.
SUSANNA UND DIE BEIDEN ALTEN Öl auf Leinwand. Doubliert. 115 x 140 cm. Gerahmt. Das Thema des Gemäldes stammt aus dem Danielbuch des Alten Testaments, wonach die keusche Susanna von zwei alten Männern bedrängt wird, die jedoch später ihrer Tat überführt werden. Im Zentrum des Gemäldes sitzt Susanna am Rand eines Brunnens, zum Bade halb entkleidet, lediglich ein weißes Tuch sowie ein mit ihrer linken Hand vor die Brust gehaltenes blaues Tuch bedecken ihren zarten hellhäutigen Körper. Sie blickt erschrocken auf einen hinter ihr stehenden Mann in edlem Gewand mit Turban, der sie mit der linken Hand berührt, während er mit seiner ausgestreckten rechten Hand ihr ein wertvolles Schmuckstück präsentiert. Rechts der weitere ältere vollbärtige Mann in rot-weißem Gewand mit Umhang mit erhobenem Fingerzeig. Durch die Beleuchtung werden insbesondere das Inkarnat der Susanna und die Gesichter der Alten hervorgehoben. Beliebtes Motiv in der Darstellung von Szenen des Alten Testaments. Balestra war Schüler von Antonio Bellucci (1654-1726) und später von Carlo Maratta (1625-1713), dessen Stil auch seine Malerei prägte. 1695 gründete er in seiner Heimatstadt Verona seine eigene Schule. Zu seinen Schülern zählten Pietro Antonio Rotari (1707-1762), Gianbettino Cignaroli (1706-1770) sowie Mattia Bortoloni (1696-1750) und Giovanni Giambattista Pittoni (1687-1767). Sein unverwechselbarer Stil mit weich modulierten Körpern in meist gold leuchtendem Inkarnat ist auch in dem vorliegenden Bild deutlich spürbar. (14008522) (18) Antonio Balestra, 1666 Verona – 1740 ibid., attributed SUSANNA AND THE TWO ELDERS Oil on canvas. Relined. 115 x 140 cm.
Pen. Ink, wash and white lead on laid paper In the lower left corner initials in ink "EP". Provenance: -Dr. E. Peart Collection; -Sir Thomas Broote -Private collection, Spain Measurements: 36 x 26 cm
Circumcision of the Child Jesus, oil on canvas, marbled wood frame in shades of green with gilt carvings, Portuguese school, 18th C., relined, restoration, tear, pictorial layer with faults and detachments. Notes: according to painting by António Balestra (1666 - 1740)., Dim. - (tela) 110 x 95 cm
Antonio Balestra, Domenico and Giuseppe Valeriani, Giovanni Battista Cimaroli 1666-1740, ?-1771 and 1708-1761, 1687-1771 Allegorical tomb for William III Oil on canvas Inscribed upper right GULIELMO III 248 x 175 cm ; 97⅝ by 68⅞ in. --------------------------------------- Antonio Balestra, Domenico et Giuseppe Valeriani, Giovanni Battista Cimaroli 1666-1740, ?-1771 et 1708-1761, 1687-1771 Tombe allégorique de Guillaume III Huile sur toile Inscrit en haut à droite GULIELMO III 248 x 175 cm ; 97⅝ by 68⅞ in.
(Verona 1666–1740) Thetis receiving the armour of Achilles from Vulcan, oil on canvas, 110.5 x 116.5 cm, framed Provenance: Private collection, France; art market, France; where acquired by the present owner We are grateful to Mauro Lucco for endorsing the attribution after examination of the present painting in the original. The present composition relates to another, inferior version conserved in the Royal Collection, Hampton Court (inv. no. RCIN 404980).
ATTRIBUTED TO ANTONIO BALESTRA 1666 Verona - 1740 ibid BACCHUS, CERES, FLORA AND AMOR Oil on canvas (old relined). 127.5 x 103 cm. Damaged,, old retouching, loss of colour, scratches to the surface, cracked paint. Provenance: International collection. ANTONIO BALESTRA (ATTR.) 1666 Verona - 1740 ibid BACCHUS, CERES, FLORA AND AMOR Öl auf Leinwand (altdoubl.). 127,5 x 103 cm. Besch.,, altrest., Altretuschen, Farbverluste, Kratzer auf der Oberflache, aufgeplatzte Farbe. Provenienz: Internationaler Sammlungsbesitz.
Antonio Balestra (attribuito a) (Verona, 1666 - Verona, 1740) Sposalizio Mistico di Santa Caterina olio su tela ovale cm 130x107; con cornice cm 135,5x115Dipinto corredato da expertise rilasciata da Comm. Cesare Gelera, perito d'arte presso il Collegio periti ed esperti della Lombardia e e del Trib. di Milano in unione al Prof. Enos Malagutti che lo attribuisce a Carlo Preda.
BALESTRA ANTONIO (1666 - 1740). Mary Magdalene. Provenance: noble Venetian private collection. Exhibition: La pittura a Verona tra sei e settecento, Palazzo della Gran Guardia, 30 July-5 November 1978. Bibliography: a cura di Licisco Magagnato, La pittura a Verona tra sei e settecento, Palazzo della Gran Guardia, Verona, 1978, Neri Pozza Editore, p 202, fig. 155; L. Ghio e E. Baccheschi, "Antonio Balestra", Bergamo 1989, p. 155, fig. 102 e p. 215. . 95,00 x 129,00 cm.
Balestra, Antonio (attributed to) - Adoration of the Infant Jesus by the Shepherds (Verona 1660-1740 ibid.) In the centre of an architectural ruin Mary with the infant Jesus lying in a manger filled with straw, shepherds with their children and animals looking on from the right, an angel with a scroll hovering above. Oil on canvas, relined. 74 x 44.5 cm. // Balestra, Antonio (Attrib.) Anbetung des Jesuskindes durch die Hirten (Verona 1666-1740 ebd.) Im Zentrum einer Ruinenarchitektur Maria mit dem in einer mit Stroh gefüllten Krippe liegendem Jesuskind, von rechts blicken Hirten mit ihren Kindern und Tieren auf das Geschehen, darüber schwebend ein Engel mit Schriftband. Öl/Lwd., doubl. 74 x 44,5 cm.
Pen and grey and brown ink, grey wash on laid paper marked "RC". 18.5 x 13 cm (oval). With a dark grey margin line. Inscribed "Antonio Balestra/329" lower right, and with a collector's stamp below, showing through faintly on recto.
AFTER ANTONIO BALESTRA (VERONA 1666-1740) AFTER ANTONIO BALESTRA (VERONA 1666-1740) Saint Sebastian nursed by Saint Irene, with Saint Lucy in attendance oil on poplar 30.5 x 47.5 cm After the Painting in the Hermitage, St. Petersburg. The panel and treatment points to its execution during the late 17th century the work is on a substantial poplar wood panel, the paint surafce with passages of fine transparent glazes and accented with fine impasto to the cloth. A comparison between the present work and known works reveals a comparable treatment of light and a similar characterisation of the figures. Antonio Balestra one of the most significant painters of the late Baroque period in Italy, and he produced a wide range of works in various genres, including religious and historical paintings, portraits, and genre scenes. Balestra was trained in Verona, where he studied under Francesco Ruschi and then moved to Venice in 1690. In Venice, he became influenced by the works of Paolo Veronese and Tintoretto and began developing his style, which was characterised by a harmonious use of colour, dramatic lighting, and emotional intensity as can be seen in the present panel. Balestra's early works were primarily religious subjects, and he gained recognition for his ability to create dramatic and moving scenes. He also painted portraits, which were highly sought after by the Venetian aristocracy, and he became famous for his ability to capture the likeness of his subjects while also imbuing them with a sense of dignity and elegance. Later in his career, Balestra began painting mythological and historical scenes, which were characterised by their dramatic compositions, bold use of colour, and intense emotion.
Pen. Ink, wash and white lead on laid paper In the lower left corner, initials "EP" in ink. Provenance: -Dr. E. Peart Collection; -Sir Thomas Broote -Private collection, Spain Measurements: 36 x 26 cm
(Verona, 1666 - 1740) La consegna delle chiavi a San Pietro Penna su carta, cm 28,5X15 Inscritto Antonio Balestra in basso a sinistra. Attribuito ad Antonio Balestra, il disegno ricorda altresì il dipinto di medesimo soggetto realizzato nel 1730-1735 da Francesco Nogari per il duomo di Bassano (Cfr. R. Pallucchini, La pittura nel Veneto. Il Settecento, I, Milano 1994, pp. 570-571, fig. 938).
Pen. Tinata, gouache and white lead on laid paper In the lower left corner, initials "EP" in ink. Provenance: -Dr. E. Peart Collection; -Sir Thomas Broote -Private collection, Spain Measurements: 36 x 26 cm
ANTONIO BALESTRA (ITALIAN 1666-1740)SAINT LOUIS IXOil on canvas42 x 33cm (16½ x 12 in.)Provenance:Noble Collection, LombardyProfessor Enrico Lucchese and Professor Andrea Tomezzoli have confirmed the attribution of this work.
BALESTRA ANTONIO (1666 - 1740). Mary Magdalene. Provenance: noble Venetian private collection. Exhibition: La pittura a Verona tra sei e settecento, Palazzo della Gran Guardia, 30 July-5 November 1978. Literature: a cura di Licisco Magagnato, La pittura a Verona tra sei e settecento, Palazzo della Gran Guardia, Verona, 1978, Neri Pozza Editore, p 202, fig. 155; L. Ghio e E. Baccheschi, ""Antonio Balestra"", Bergamo 1989, p. 155, fig. 102 e p. 215. . Cm 95,00 x 129,00.
Venus übergibt Hippomenes drei goldene Äpfel Öl auf Leinwand. Doubliert. 108,5 x 117,5 cm. In vergoldetem profilierten Rahmen. Hippomenes, ein Sohn des Ares, hatte um Atalante gebuhlt, die einen jeden Werbenden ein Wettrennen gegen sich bestreiten ließ - gewann dieser, so nahm sie ihn zum Mann, verlor er, wurde er von Atalante getötet. Wenngleich Atalante ihn aufgrund seiner Schönheit umstimmen wollte, so hielt Hippomenes an dem Vorhaben fest und bat schließlich Venus um Hilfe, die ihm drei goldene Äpfel gab. Während des Rennens schwanden Hippomenes Kräfte und Venus deutete ihm, einen Apfel fallen zu lassen. Atalante hob diesen auf und verlor so wertvolle Zeit - gegen eine Heirat mit dem schönen Jüngling hatte sie freilich auch wenig einzuwenden. Anmerkung: Im Museum Narodowe w Warszawie, Warschau, Inv.Nr. 47099 wird ein ebenfalls Balestra zugewiesenes Gemälde mit der Darstellung von Mars und Venus aufbewahrt, wobei die Grundkomposition spiegelverkehrt aufgebaut ist, aber den gleichen Charakter aufweist wie das hier angebotene Gemälde. Literatur: Das hier angebotene Gemälde ist in der Fachliteratur verzeichnet: E. Martini, 1982, S. 472, Nr. 40, Abb. 33. Lilli Ghio, Edi Baccheschi, Antonio Balestra, Bergamo 1989, S. 205, Nr. 61. Andrea Tomezzoli, Antonio Balestra. Nel segno della grazia, Ausstellungskatalog, Verona 2016, S. 151, Nr. 19, Abb. 68. (13300547) (2) (13) Antonio Balestra, 1666 Verona – 1740 ibid. VENUS GIVES HIPPOMENES THREE GOLDEN APPLES Oil on canvas. Relined. 108.5 x 117.5 cm. In gilt and moulded frame. Notes: A painting depicting Mars and Venus, also attributed to Balestra, is held at the Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie, Warsaw, inventory no. 47099. The composition is mirror-inverted but has the same character as the painting on offer for sale here. Literature: The painting offered here is listed in specialised literature: E. Martini, 1982, p. 472, no. 40, ill. 33. Lilli Ghio, Edi Baccheschi, Antonio Balestra, Bergamo 1989, p. 205, no. 61. Andrea Tomezzoli, Antonio Balestra. Nel segno della grazia, exhibition catalogue, Verona 2016, p. 151, no. 19, ill. 68.
(Verona, 1666 - 1740) Sant'Antonio Olio su tela, cm 95X71 Il dipinto per le sue caratteristiche stilistiche e il formato, sembrerebbe un modelletto per un'opera di maggiori dimensioni. Analizzando la scena e il disegno sono evidenti i richiami con l'arte di Antonio Balestra, pittore che apprese i rudimenti dell'arte con Antonio Bellucci, ma fu il viaggio a Roma nel 1690 a modellarne lo stile. Nella Città Eterna il giovane frequentò l'atelier del celebre Carlo Maratti con Benedetto Luti e Tommaso Redi, 'sì che andavano tutti tre incessantemente a dissegnare e studiare da Rafaele, Caraci e dalle Statue antiche' (L. Pascoli). Questa esperienza indirizzò l'artista a un misurato classicismo, che in seguito modulò sugli esempi bolognesi di Marcantonio Franceschini, creando opere dal colorismo terso, diafano e caldo. La tela in esame bene esprime questa peculiare attitudine, giocata su un vivo senso narrativo e una peculiare resa melodrammatica, miscelando con sapienza l'esuberanza formale del Seicento romano e la tradizione pittorica veneziana. Questi indizi conducono ad una datazione alla maturità, agli anni in cui il Balestra sta per conseguire un successo europeo e realizza le sue migliori creazioni, quindi al terzo decennio. Il dipinto è corredato da una perizia di Ugo Ruggeri. Bibliografia di riferimento: L. Ghio, Antonio Balestra, in Pittori Bergamaschi, Il Settecento, V, 1989, pp. 79; 109 U. Ruggeri, Nuove opere documentate di Antonio Balestra, in Pittura veneziana dal Quattrocento al Settecento: studi di storia dell'arte in onore di Egidio Martini, a cura di G. M. Pilo, Venezia 1999 D. Succi, A. Delneri, Marco Ricci e il paesaggio veneto del Settecento, catalogo della mostra, Milano 1993, ad vocem
Attribué à Antonio BALESTRA Vérone, 1666 - 1740 Un saint en prière devant la Vierge à l'Enfant Encre sépia et lavis sur papier, marque de monogramme 'AM' au crayon en haut à droite (Accidents, tache d'humidité en haut à gauche, piqûres) h: 28 w: 20 cm
Venus übergibt Hippomenes drei goldene Äpfel Öl auf Leinwand. Doubliert. 108,5 x 117,5 cm. In vergoldetem profilierten Rahmen. Hippomenes, ein Sohn des Ares, hatte um Atalante gebuhlt, die einen jeden Werbenden ein Wettrennen gegen sich bestreiten ließ – gewann dieser, so nahm sie ihn zum Mann, verlor er, wurde er von Atalante getötet. Wenngleich Atalante ihn aufgrund seiner Schönheit umstimmen wollte, so hielt Hippomenes an dem Vorhaben fest und bat schließlich Venus um Hilfe, die ihm drei goldene Äpfel gab. Während des Rennens schwanden Hippomenes Kräfte und Venus deutete ihm, einen Apfel fallen zu lassen. Atalante hob diesen auf und verlor so wertvolle Zeit – gegen eine Heirat mit dem schönen Jüngling hatte sie freilich auch wenig einzuwenden. Anmerkung: Im Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie, Warschau, Inv.Nr. 47099 wird ein ebenfalls Balestra zugewiesenes Gemälde mit der Darstellung von Mars und Venus aufbewahrt, wobei die Grundkomposition spiegelverkehrt aufgebaut ist, aber den gleichen Charakter aufweist wie das hier angebotene Gemälde. Literatur: Das hier angebotene Gemälde ist in der Fachliteratur verzeichnet: E. Martini, 1982, S. 472, Nr. 40, Abb. 33. Lilli Ghio, Edi Baccheschi, Antonio Balestra, Bergamo 1989, S. 205, Nr. 61. Andrea Tomezzoli, Antonio Balestra. Nel segno della grazia, Ausstellungskatalog, Verona 2016, S. 151, Nr. 19, Abb. 68. (13300547) (2) (13) Antonio Balestra, 1666 Verona – 1740 ibid. VENUS GIVES HIPPOMENES THREE GOLDEN APPLES Oil on canvas. Relined. 108.5 x 117.5 cm. In gilt and moulded frame. Notes: A painting depicting Mars and Venus, also attributed to Balestra, is held at the Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie, Warsaw, inventory no. 47099. The composition is mirror-inverted but has the same character as the painting on offer for sale here. Literature: The painting offered here is listed in specialised literature: E. Martini, 1982, p. 472, no. 40, ill. 33. Lilli Ghio, Edi Baccheschi, Antonio Balestra, Bergamo 1989, p. 205, no. 61. Andrea Tomezzoli, Antonio Balestra. Nel segno della grazia, exhibition catalogue, Verona 2016, p. 151, no. 19, ill. 68.
ANTONIO BALESTRA (1666-1740), attribué Venus, Satyre et Cupidon Oil on re-lined canvas 75.5 x 105 cm. Provenance: Private collection Nice France. An Italian Rococo painter born in Verona, Balestra trained in Venice under the direction of Antonio Belluci before entering Carlo Marata's studio in Rome. He works between Rome and Venice where the opulent Serenissima Republic allows him a fruitful production both for religious orders and for secular patronage. In 1726, Balestra returned definitively to his native town where he founded a school of painting which would be attended in particular by Giambattista Cignaroli, Giuseppe Nogari, Pietro Rotari and Johan Richter. His most famous work will remain the diptych "Saint Cosimo and Saint Damian exhibited in the transept of the Basilica of Santa Giustina in Padua.
Attributed to ANTONIO BALESTRA (Verona, Italy, 1666 - 1740); Italian School; 18th century "Annunciation". Oil on canvas. Re-drawn. It presents a frame of redorado epoch and it possesses slight repaintings. Measurements: 65 x 71 cm; 62 x 81 cm (frame). Due to its technical characteristics the work is related to the Italian painter and engraver of the Republic of Venice, Antonio Balestra left in 1690 from his native Verona to Rome, where he became a disciple of Carlo Maratta, in turn trained by Annibale Carracci. The young painter soon made himself at home among both ecclesiastical and public patrons and became known and appreciated in both Venice and Verona. His studies with Maratta directed him towards the academic and classicist style cultivated by many of the 17th-century Veronese artists. In 1694 he was appointed a member of the Accademia di San Luca in Rome after winning the prize in its drawing competition with the "Fall of the Giants". Other examples of his production during this Roman period are the "Trinity" in Castelvecchio and "The Wealth of the Earth" in Trento. He returned to Venice in 1696, settling in the capital of the Republic until 1718. There he executed important works such as the altarpiece for the church of the Jesuits (1704), the "Transitus of Saint Joseph" for the church of San Marziale, the "Nativity" for the church of San Zaccaria and the altarpiece of Saint Osvaldo for the church of San Stae, the latter work consolidating his reputation as a great master in Venice. His fame in the Republic was reinforced by the Annunciation in the church of Santa Maria di Nazareth, which reveals his extraordinary compositional ability and innovative use of colour. During these years Balestra also painted two canvases for the Scuola Grande del Carmine, another two for the Scuola Grande della Carità and two interesting paintings in Verona, "Saint John the Baptist in the Desert" and another "Annunciation", similar to the one he painted for Venice, but which reveals an already Rococo use of colour. Particularly important in his career were the commissions he received from the most important Venetian noble families, including the Barbaro and Barbarigo families, for whom he painted in collaboration with Ricci and Piazzetta, the most prominent Venetian painters of the day. He was also associated with the Elector of Mainz, Franz Lothar von Schönborn, for whom he painted his series of "Fables", works in a typically eighteenth-century Arcadian style that differed from the mythological themes customary until then. After this period he worked in Padua for the church of Santa Giustina between 1717 and 1718, where his two canvases depicting the martyrdom of Saints Cosmas and Damian, considered his greatest masterpiece due to the grandiosity and theatricality of the scenes, still survive today. In these works he displays a mature, composed style, cold and independent of the trend that was emerging between the 17th and 18th centuries. Balestra then returned to Verona, where he worked mainly for the church but also received commissions from other cities such as Bergamo, Brescia and Mantua. His works of these years are simpler and more conventional, dominated by broad diagonal lines, foreshortenings and very light tones. In his later works, such as those painted for Sanvitale in Parma and Schulemburg, he concentrated on scenes narrated in large architectural settings whose theatrical character is emphasised by the eloquent dramatic gestures of the small figures. In this last period he also changed his palette, moving towards cooler tones, demonstrating the artist's constant ability to renew his language. Balestra's last work was the frescoes that he executed for the villa of his friend Alessandro Pompei. Works by Antonio Balestra can still be seen today in the Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan, the Museo del Settecento Veneziano in Venice, etc.
Attributed to ANTONIO BALESTRA (Verona, Italy, 1666 - 1740); Italian School; 18th century "Saint Michael the Archangel. Oil on canvas. Re-coloured. It has a period frame and slight repainting. Measurements: 65 x 71 cm; 62 x 81 cm (frame). In this painting of purely baroque language is represented the archangel St. Michael, dressed with armour, with big wings spread out. From its technical characteristics the work is related to the Italian painter and engraver from the Republic of Venice, Antonio Balestra, who left his native Verona for Rome in 1690, where he became a pupil of Carlo Maratta, himself trained by Annibale Carracci. The young painter soon made himself at home among both ecclesiastical and public patrons and became known and appreciated in both Venice and Verona. His studies with Maratta directed him towards the academic and classicist style cultivated by many of the 17th-century Veronese artists. In 1694 he was appointed a member of the Accademia di San Luca in Rome after winning the prize in its drawing competition with the "Fall of the Giants". Other examples of his production during this Roman period are the "Trinity" in Castelvecchio and "The Wealth of the Earth" in Trento. He returned to Venice in 1696, settling in the capital of the Republic until 1718. There he executed important works such as the altarpiece for the church of the Jesuits (1704), the "Transitus of Saint Joseph" for the church of San Marziale, the "Nativity" for the church of San Zaccaria and the altarpiece of Saint Osvaldo for the church of San Stae, the latter work consolidating his reputation as a great master in Venice. His fame in the Republic was reinforced by the Annunciation in the church of Santa Maria di Nazareth, which reveals his extraordinary compositional ability and innovative use of colour. During these years Balestra also painted two canvases for the Scuola Grande del Carmine, another two for the Scuola Grande della Carità and two interesting paintings in Verona, "Saint John the Baptist in the Desert" and another "Annunciation", similar to the one he painted for Venice, but which reveals an already Rococo use of colour. Particularly important in his career were the commissions he received from the most important Venetian noble families, including the Barbaro and Barbarigo families, for whom he painted in collaboration with Ricci and Piazzetta, the most prominent Venetian painters of the day. He was also associated with the Elector of Mainz, Franz Lothar von Schönborn, for whom he painted his series of "Fables", works in a typically eighteenth-century Arcadian style that differed from the mythological themes customary until then. After this period he worked in Padua for the church of Santa Giustina between 1717 and 1718, where his two canvases depicting the martyrdom of Saints Cosmas and Damian, considered his greatest masterpiece due to the grandiosity and theatricality of the scenes, are still preserved today. In these works he displays a mature, composed style, cold and independent of the trend that was emerging between the 17th and 18th centuries. Balestra then returned to Verona, where he worked mainly for the church but also received commissions from other cities such as Bergamo, Brescia and Mantua. His works of these years are simpler and more conventional, dominated by broad diagonal lines, foreshortenings and very light tones. In his later works, such as those painted for Sanvitale in Parma and Schulemburg, he concentrated on scenes narrated in large architectural settings whose theatrical character is emphasised by the eloquent dramatic gestures of the small figures. In this last period he also changed his palette, moving towards cooler tones, demonstrating the artist's constant ability to renew his language. Balestra's last work was the frescoes he executed for the villa of his friend Alessandro Pompei.
Antonio Balestra (1666 - 1740) CAINO E ABELE olio su tela, cm 169,5x199 L'opera è accompagnata da expertise del dottor Plinio Calore L'opera qui presentata raffigura l'episodio del Libro della Genesi che ha per protagonisti i due fratelli Caino e Abele, i primi figli di Adamo ed Eva. Caino, agricoltore, poiché Dio aveva rifiutato i frutti del suo raccolto in favore degli agnelli sacrificati dal pastore Abele, uccide il fratello per invidia. La loro storia è stata ampiamente raccontata sia nella letteratura che nell'arte pittorica. I precedenti sono illustri partendo dal Guercino passando per Tintoretto e arrivando fino al Balestra. Si tratta di un tema del resto consueto al Balestra, che utilizzò altre due volte questa iconografia. La tela esprime la peculiare attitudine classicista del pittore veronese, giocata su un vivo senso narrativo e una resa melodrammatica. Il momento del pathos si è appena concluso, il delitto è stato compiuto e Abele è disteso in posizione supina, privo di vita. La forza drammatica del corpo nudo di Abele riverso a terra contrasta con la figura di Caino che è invece inginocchiato, accecato dalla luce divina che preclude una punizione esemplare. Le due figure sono rappresentate in modo statuario, alla maniera michelangiolesca, e sono immerse in un gioco di chiaroscuro e di luce. Nel dipinto l'esuberanza formale del Seicento romano si fonde nella tradizione pittorica veneziana. Il dipinto mostra la qualità pittorica del pittore veronese che si è dimostrato essere tra i massimi disegnatori del Settecento. Leggiamo una preziosa testimonianza di Bartolomeo dal Pozzo (1718) che ci descrive cosè il pittore veronese: "Il dipinto di questo savio Pittore sara` sempre gradito da tutti per un certo misto Raffaellesco, Carraccesco, e Correggiesco, che sommamente diletta. [...]"
(Verona, 1666 - 1740) Annunciazione Olio su tela, cm 68X54 (2) Antonio Balestra apprende l'arte della pittura con Antonio Bellucci, applicandosi a imitare le opere del maestro e dei principali artisti del Cinquecento lagunare (Pascoli, 1736-44). Nel 1690 il giovane decide di compiere il viaggio di studio a Roma, dove fu posto a studiare nella scuola del celebre Carlo Maratti insieme a Benedetto Luti e Tommaso Redi, si che andavano tutti tre incessantemente a dissegnare e studiare da Rafaele, Caraci e dalle Statue antiche e dopo breve soggiorno a Napoli, nel 1694 ricevette il primo premio al concorso dell'Accademia di San Luca' (lettera manoscritta inviata da Balestra a Pellegrino Orlandi, in Polazzo, 1978). Questa esperienza indirizzò lo stile del pittore ad un misurato classicismo, che in seguito si modulò sugli esempi bolognesi di Marcantonio Franceschini, creando opere dal colorismo terso, diafano e caldo. Le tele in esame esprimono questa peculiare attitudine classicista del Balestra, giocata su un vivo senso narrativo e una resa melodrammatica che gli sono peculiari e con lui, l'esuberanza formale del Seicento romano s'innesta nella tradizione pittorica veneziana. Nel nostro caso, come suggerito correttamente dal Danieli, la felicità cromatica e di stesura evidenzia un ricorso alla tempra veneta, che negli anni maturi Balestra affronterà guardando alle evoluzioni in chiave pienamente settecentesca. Un fare, che riscontriamo nella Comunione degli apostoli della chiesa dei Santi Nazaro e Celso di Verona databile al 1626. L'opera è corredata da scheda critica di Michele Danieli. Bibliografia di riferimento: L. Pascoli, Vite de' Pittori, scultori ed architetti viventi dai manoscritti 1383-1743, della biblioteca comunale Augusta di Perugia, Treviso 1981, pp. 126-127 L. Ghio, Antonio Balestra, in Pittori Bergamaschi, Il Settecento, V, 1989, pp. 79-109. U. Ruggeri, Nuove opere documentate di Antonio Balestra, in Pittura veneziana dal Quattrocento al Settecento: studi di storia dell'arte in onore di Egidio Martini, a cura di G. M. Pilo, Venezia 1999, ad vocem
ANTONIO BALESTRA (Verona 1666-1740 Verona) Sheet of Studies with a Bishop and Cherubs. Black chalk on light tan laid paper, double-sided. 320x185 mm; 12 1/2x7 1/4 inches. With a nude figure study in black chalk, verso. Provenance: Private collection, Massachusetts.
Attribué à Antonio BALESTRA Vérone, 1666 - 1740 Un saint en prière devant la Vierge à l'Enfant Encre sépia et lavis sur papier, marque de monogramme 'AM' au crayon en haut à droite (Accidents, tache d'humidité en haut à gauche, piqûres) h: 28 w: 20 cm Estimation 1 500 - 2 000 €
KONVOLUT AUS DREI GRAFIKEN 18. Jh. Kupferstich auf unterschiedlichen Papieren. BM min. 48,5 x 56,5 cm / max. 51 x 62,5 cm. Jew. in der Platte bez. Gebräunt, fleckig, Knickspuren. Antonio Balestra, nach (1666 Verona - 1740 ebenda) / T. Todeschini: 'Alla esima virtu dell'Ottaviano Benigno Promotore (...)' / Antonio Balestra, nach (1666 Verona - 1740 ebenda) / T. Todeschini: 'Dedicato al Benefico Protettore delle Scieze (...) Carlo de Bonelli' / David Teniers, nach / Jacques Nicolas Tardieu: 'Les misères de la Guerre'. Jew. auf Karton montiert.
ANTONIO BALESTRA (Attr.le) (Verona 1666 - 1740) Danae Olio su tela in cornice in legno dorato. Il dipinto raffigura il mito di Danae, eroina della mitologia greca, nell'atto in cui Zeus sotto forma di pioggia d'oro la rende madre di Perseo. cm 68 x 162.
Attributed to ANTONIO BALESTRA (Verona, Italy, 1666 - 1740); Italian school; 18th century. "Annunciation" Oil on canvas. Relined. It presents an old frame and has slight repaints. Measures: 65 x 71 cm; 62 x 81 cm (frame). For its technical characteristics the work is related to the Italian painter and engraver of the Republic of Venice, Antonio Balestra left his native Verona for Rome in 1690, where he became a disciple of Carlo Maratta, in turn trained by Annibale Carracci. The young painter soon moved comfortably both among the ecclesiastical patrons and among those of the public authorities, becoming known and appreciated both in Venice and in Verona. His studies with Maratta oriented him towards the academic and classicist style cultivated by many Veronese artists of the seventeenth century. In 1694 he was appointed a member of the Academy of San Luca in Rome, after winning the prize in its drawing competition with the "Fall of the Giants". Other examples of his production in this Roman period are the "Trinity" in Castelvecchio and "The Wealth of the Earth" in Trento. He returned to Venice in 1696, settling in the capital of the Republic until 1718. There he carried out important works such as the altarpiece for the church of the Jesuits (1704), the "Transitus of St. Joseph" for the church of San Marziale, the "Nativity" for the church of San Zaccaria or the altarpiece of San Osvaldo for the church of San Stae, the latter work that consolidated him in Venice as a great master. His notoriety in the Republic will be reinforced with the "Annunciation" of the church of Santa Maria di Nazareth, which reveals an extraordinary compositional ability and an innovative use of color. In these years Balestra also painted two canvases for the Scuola Grande del Carmine, two others for the Scuola Grande della Carità and two interesting paintings in Verona, "St. John the Baptist in the desert" and another "Annunciation", similar to the one he painted for Venice, but in which an already rococo use of color is revealed. Especially relevant in his career were the commissions he received from the most important Venetian noble families, among them the Barbaro and Barbarigo, for whom he painted in collaboration with Ricci and Piazzetta, the most prominent Venetian painters of the time. He was also associated with the Elector of Mainz, Franz Lothar von Schönborn, for whom he painted his series of "Fables", works in an Arcadian style, typically eighteenth-century, different from the mythological themes that had been the norm until then. After this period he worked in Padua for the church of Santa Giustina, between 1717 and 1718, where the two canvases in which he depicted the martyrdom of Saints Cosmas and Damian, considered his great masterpiece for the grandeur and theatricality of the scenes, are still preserved today. In these works he shows a mature style composed, cold and independent of the trend that was being created between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Balestra then returned to Verona, where he worked mainly for the church, also receiving commissions from other cities such as Bergamo, Brescia and Mantua. His works of these years are simpler and more conventional, dominated by broad diagonal lines, foreshortenings and very clear tonalities. In his later works, such as the works he painted for Sanvitale of Parma and Schulemburg, he will concentrate on narrated scenes in large architectural settings, whose theatrical character will be emphasized by the eloquent dramatic gestures of the small figures. In this last period he will also change his palette, drifting towards colder tonalities, showing the artist's constant capacity to renew his language. Balestra's last work was the frescoes he painted for the villa of his friend Alessandro Pompei. To this day, works by Antonio Balestra are preserved in the Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan, the Museo del Settecento Veneziano in Venice, etc.
Attributed to ANTONIO BALESTRA (Verona, Italy, 1666 - 1740); Italian school; 18th century "San Miguel Arcangel". Oil on canvas. Relined. Presents vintage frame and slight repaints. Measures: 65 x 71 cm; 62 x 81 cm (frame). This painting of purely baroque language depicts the archangel St. Michael, dressed in armor, with large wings spread. For its technical characteristics the work is related to the Italian painter and engraver of the Republic of Venice, Antonio Balestra left his native Verona for Rome in 1690, where he became a disciple of Carlo Maratta, in turn trained by Annibale Carracci. The young painter soon moved comfortably both among the ecclesiastical patrons and among those of the public authorities, becoming known and appreciated both in Venice and in Verona. His studies with Maratta oriented him towards the academic and classicist style cultivated by many Veronese artists of the seventeenth century. In 1694 he was appointed a member of the Academy of San Luca in Rome, after winning the prize in its drawing competition with the "Fall of the Giants". Other examples of his production in this Roman period are the "Trinity" in Castelvecchio and "The Wealth of the Earth" in Trento. He returned to Venice in 1696, settling in the capital of the Republic until 1718. There he carried out important works such as the altarpiece for the church of the Jesuits (1704), the "Transitus of St. Joseph" for the church of San Marziale, the "Nativity" for the church of San Zaccaria or the altarpiece of San Osvaldo for the church of San Stae, the latter work that consolidated him in Venice as a great master. His notoriety in the Republic will be reinforced with the "Annunciation" of the church of Santa Maria di Nazareth, which reveals an extraordinary compositional ability and an innovative use of color. In these years Balestra also painted two canvases for the Scuola Grande del Carmine, two others for the Scuola Grande della Carità and two interesting paintings in Verona, "St. John the Baptist in the desert" and another "Annunciation", similar to the one he painted for Venice, but in which an already rococo use of color is revealed. Especially relevant in his career were the commissions he received from the most important Venetian noble families, among them the Barbaro and Barbarigo, for whom he painted in collaboration with Ricci and Piazzetta, the most prominent Venetian painters of the time. He was also associated with the Elector of Mainz, Franz Lothar von Schönborn, for whom he painted his series of "Fables", works in an Arcadian style, typically eighteenth-century, different from the mythological themes that had been the norm until then. After this period he worked in Padua for the church of Santa Giustina, between 1717 and 1718, where the two canvases in which he depicted the martyrdom of Saints Cosmas and Damian, considered his great masterpiece for the grandeur and theatricality of the scenes, are still preserved today. In these works he shows a mature style composed, cold and independent of the trend that was being created between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Balestra then returned to Verona, where he worked mainly for the church, also receiving commissions from other cities such as Bergamo, Brescia and Mantua. His works of these years are simpler and more conventional, dominated by broad diagonal lines, foreshortenings and very clear tonalities. In his later works, such as the works he painted for Sanvitale of Parma and Schulemburg, he will concentrate on narrated scenes in large architectural settings, whose theatrical character will be emphasized by the eloquent dramatic gestures of the small figures. In this last period he will also change his palette, drifting towards colder tonalities, showing the artist's constant capacity to renew his language. Balestra's last work will be the frescoes he painted for the villa of his friend Alessandro Pompei.
St. Jerome, in the act of writing, has a vision of the angels blowing the trumpets of Judgment. Below, three little angels leaf through a book resting on a lion, symbol of the saint. The names of the authors are engraved on the bottom and the inscription "Post multas lacrymas, post caelo inhaerentes ocolus, nonnumquam videbar mihi interest / agminibus Angelorum Epist. XXII to Eustoch. ". Etching, 330x221mm Good impression with small margins
DIANA UND ENDYMION Öl auf Leinwand. Doubliert. 70 x 140 cm. In ornamental verziertem vergoldeten Rahmen. Beigegeben ein Gutachten von Stefano Cribiori, Mailand, 20. Oktober 2020, in Kopie. Das vorliegende Gemälde ist Bestandteil einer Reihe von Gemälden, die von Antonio Balestra und dessen Werkstatt für den Palazzo Carlotti in Verona ausgeführt wurde. Dargestellt ist die Mondgöttin Selene, die im Römischen mit Diana gleichgesetzt ist, und der in tiefen Schlaf versunkene Endymion, in den sie sich verliebt und Zeus gebeten hatte, ihn in tiefen Schlaf zu versetzen, um seinen Tod zu verhindern und ihm ewige Jugend zu schenken. Provenienz: Palazzo Carlotti, Verona. Vergleiche: Zwei weitere Gemälde, die zu der Reihe aus dem Palazzo gehören, wurden publiziert in: Ugo Ruggeri, Nuove opere documentate di Antonio Balestra, in: Pittura veneziana dal Quattrocento al Settecento. Studi di Storia dell’ arte in onore di Egidio Martini, Arsenale Editrice, Venedig 1999, S. 187-190. (1261892) (3) (13) Antonio Balestra 1666 Verona - 1740 ibid., and workshop DIANA AND ENDYMION Oil on canvas. Relined. 70 x 140 cm. In ornamental, gilt frame. A copy of the expert‘s report by Stefano Cribiori, Milan, 20 October 2020, is enclosed. The painting on offer for sale here is part of a series of paintings created by Antonio Balestra and his workshop for the Palazzo Carlotti in Verona. Provenance: Palazzo Carlotti, Verona. Examples of comparison: Two further paintings that are part of this Palazzo series have been published in: U. Ruggeri, Nuove opere documentate di Antonio Balestra, in: Pittura veneziana dal Quattrocento al Settecento. Studi di Storia dell’ arte in onore di Egidio Martini, Arsenale Editrice, Venedig 1999, pp. 187-190.
