Attributed to Francesco Guardi

Anonymous sale, London, Christie's, 30 November 1973, lot 45 (as 'Francesco Guardi. A view of the Scuola di San Marco');
Anonymous sale, London, Christie's, 27 June 1975, lot 30, for 10,000 Guineas (as 'Francesco Guardi. Campo SS. Giovanni e Paolo').

"The following condition report has been provided by Henry Gentle, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. The original canvas is lined. Some of the paint layer is raised and there have been minor paint losses. There is a recent damage to the left cupola. Under U-V light small retouchings can be seen to the red figure lower left, to the shadows of the cupolae and columns. The varnish is discoloured and degraded and its removal would greatly enhance the tonality of the composition."
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

This composition is known in at least four other autograph variants and records the moment in which Pope Pius VI blessed the crowds in the Campo San Zanipolo.  On his return from Vienna to Rome, Pope Pius VI stopped in Venice between 15th and 19th May 1782.  Guardi was commissioned by the Serenissima to record this visit in four canvases.  A contract dated 21 May 1782 records that the painter was obliged to "prendere le vedute dei siti sopralluogo, e di dipendere dalla direzione del sud.o Sig. Edwards in quanto rigarda la disposizione e collocazione delle figurine rappresentanti le funzioni medesime".¹  Guardi was apparently paid 40 zecchini for the paintings, receving final payment on 24 December 1782, and a second series, of slightly reduced size, was apparently commissioned shortly afterwards (probably for Edwards himself).  The four episodes shown are: The meeting between Pope Pius Vi and the Doge Paolo Renier on the island of San Giorgio in Alga on 16 May 1782 (Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the smaller version in the Rossello collection, Milan);²  The pontifical mass held by Pope Pius VI in the church of San Zanipolo on 16 May 1782 (private collection, and the smaller version in Cleveland, Museum of Fine Arts);³  Pope Pius VI taking his leave from the Doge in the Sala delle Udienze in the Convent of San Zanipolo on 17 May 1782 (Meyer collection, Milan, and the smaller version in Cleveland, Musuem of Fine Arts);⁴  Pope Pius VI blessing the crowd in the Campo di San Zanipolo on 18 May 1782 (Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, and the smaller version in the Bearsted collection, Upton House (National Trust), as well as a third version in the Gemäldegalerie, Dresden).⁵

On the occasion of Pope Pius VI blessing the crowd a temporary wooden loggia, designed by Antonio Codognato, was erected on the façade of the Scuola di San Marco.  Once the Pope had finished his blessings the crowds were allowed to mount the loggia and the existence of at least four autograph variants of this subject attest to the popularity of the composition: one in Washington, National Gallery of Art (37.5 by 31.5 cm.); one in the Modiano collection, Bologna (26.5 by 20.5 cm.); one in Providence, Rhode Island School of Design (39 by 32.5 cm.); and a version offered for sale in these rooms on 7 July 2004 (61.5 by 46.5 cm).  All four compositions, like this one, are of vertical orientation and the staffage is very similar in each, though the handling is slightly more nervous in the Washington and Bologna variants.  A preparatory drawing by Guardi, of horizontal format but corresponding in almost every detail to the upright variants, was formerly in the collection of Pierre Decourcelle until sold, Paris, Christie's, 21 March 2002, lot 310.  Another larger drawing of the same view is in the Korner collection, London, and a third preparatory drawing, showing only the loggia and the right side of the composition visible in the Oxford painting also exists.⁶

1.  Cited in D. Succi, Francesco Guardi. Itinerario dell'avventura artistica, Milan 1993, p. 108.
2.  See Morassi, Guardi. I dipinti, Venice 1993, vol. I, cat. nos. 262 and 263, reproduced vol. II, figs. 291 and 292.
3.  Morassi, op. cit., vol. I, cat. nos. 264 and 265, reproduced vol. II, figs. 293 and 294.
4.  Ibid, vol. I, cat. nos. 266 and 267, reproduced vol. II, figs. 295 and 296.
5.  Ibid., vol. I, cat. nos. 268, 269 and 275, reproduced vol. II, figs. 299, 300 and 301.
6.  See A. Morassi, Guardi. I disegni, Venice 1993, cat. nos. 274-76, reproduced figs. 276-78.