Workshop of Michele Marieschi

Anonymous sale, Monaco, Sotheby's, 8 December 1984, lot 329, as Michele Marieschi.

R. Toledano, Michele Marieschi, l'opera completa, Milan 1988, pp. 140-141, under cat. nos. C.29 and C. 30.1 respectively, as workshop of Marieschi;
R. Toledano, Michele Marieschi, Catalogo ragionato, Milan 1995, p. 164, under C. 28.b, where listed as non-autograph replicas;
F. Montecuccoli degli Erri and F. Pedrocco, Michele Marieschi, La vita l'ambiente, l'opera, Milan 1999, p. 405, under cat. no. 175, where the latter painting is listed as a replica.

Both canvases have been relined in the past with a glue relining. Although the paint layer is currently stable, there is evidence of lifting in the past. The craquelure is visible and discoloured by old dirt. Small scattered retouches are visible to the naked eye. In the River Landscape with a Capriccio View of Classical Ruins with Figures on a Path, the darker pigments in the shadowed area in the left foreground are slightly sunken. Under UV, there are broad bands of retouching along the top, right and bottom framing edges that seem to address old frame abrassion. There are also smaller touches scattered throughout the sky, with less numerous touches visible in the architecture and fallen masonry. There is a larger touch to the left of the vertical monument and two or three small infills to the legs of the horses in the center foreground. In A Lacustrine Landscape with a Capriccio of a Classical Building, Elegant Figures Conversing in the Foreground, similar bands of retouch are visible on all four framing edges and there have been similar touches applied throughout the sky. There are other less numerous areas of restoration scattered throughout the architecture and in the landscape, but these are isolated and have been well applied. Although both works present well as is, cleaning and careful restoration could help to present an even fresher appearance overall. In matching carved and gilt frames.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The river landscape is a studio replica after the original in the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Nîmes, while the lacustrine landscape repeats the design of the original in the Zecchini collection, Milan (see Toledano, 1988, under Literature).

At the time of the 1984 sale (see Provenance), the works were sold with a certificate by Professor Egidio Martini attributing the works in full to Marieschi and proposing that the staffage in the latter painting is by Gian Antonio Guardi (1699-1760).