Hendrik Frans van Lint, called Lo Studio

Anonymous sale, London, Christie's, 2 August 1951, lot 162 (as one of a pair with 'A view of the harbour of Naples', also signed and dated 1734; see fig. 1), for 85 guineas to Appleby;
Anonymous sale, New York, Christie's, 12 January 1994, lot 126, where acquired by the present owner.

The following condition report is provided by Rebecca Gregg, who is an external specialist and not an employee of Sotheby's. The original canvas appears in a stable condition, unlined there are distinct planar deformations in the centre of the right edge and at the upper left corner. The stretcher appears stable; it is keyed out to almost the full extent with one key missing from the upper left corner. The overall tension is slightly slack. There are additional batons attached to this around the edges which cover the rebate of the canvas. The paint layers appear in excellent condition; there are no recent damages or loss and the adhesion between the paint and ground layers and the support appears good. There is a distinct craqulure pattern across the surface, some of which are raised; however the edges of these appear stable. There are very minor scattered areas of over-paint across the painting, none of which over any significant damage or loss. There is a discoloured varnish layer present which fluoresces under ultra violet examination; there is also a layer of surface dirt present and scattered fly spotting. The painting was examined in the frame.
"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 wonderfully atmospheric view of the river Tiber at the Ponte Sant’ Angelo, with the Castel Sant’ Angelo dominating the right half of the composition and Saint Peter’s Basilica visible on the horizon at the far left, was painted by Van Lint at the height of his career. It was evidently a composition that enjoyed widespread popularity for it was repeated by him on a number of occasions: one, from the same viewpoint, was sold at Sotheby’s, New York, 25 May 2000, lot 71 (signed and indistinctly dated); another, from slightly closer in, was in a private collection, Rome;¹ and further variants, taken from slightly further back on the riverbank, were sold in these Rooms, 17 April 1996, lot 191 (signed and dated 1721)² and on 7 July 1993, lot 65 (signed and dated 1728).

 When this painting was sold in 1951 it was paired with a painting of identical dimensions, also signed and dated 1734, representing ‘A view of the harbour of Naples’ (that is, the Darsena) and this can be identified with the painting sold at Tajan, Paris, 25 June 1996, lot 14 (see fig. 1).³ Although the pairing of a view of Naples and Rome might seem unusual it is by no means unique in Van Lint's - or indeed in other vedutisti’s - oeuvre. The handling of clouds and architecture in the two paintings is very similar, as is the treatment of the water and its reflections. Furthermore the horizon lines in the two paintings correspond and their compositions echo each other in mirror image, as do the signatures and dates (lower left in the Naples view and lower right in the present work). The picture of the Darsena is inspired by a number of earlier variants of the same view by Gaspar van Wittel, called Vanvitelli, whilst the view of the Castel Sant’ Angelo seen from this angle across the river Tiber appears to be Van Lint’s own invention.⁴

1. See A. Busiri Vici, Peter, Hendrick e Giacomo van Lint, Rome 1987, p. 78, no. 63, reproduced in colour.
2. Busiri Vici, op. cit., p. 79, no. 64, reproduced. A further version, by an artist in Van Lint’s circle, was sold in London, Christie’s, 25 April 2008, lot 48.
3. Oil on canvas, 48 by 73 cm., signed, inscribed and dated lower left: HF. van Lint/ Roma/ 1734. Also reproduced in Busiri Vici, ibid., p. 153, no. 174, though he does not make the connection with the present view.
4. For Vanvitelli’s views of the Darsena see G. Briganti, Gaspar van Wittel, eds. L. Laureati & L. Trezzani, Milan 1996, pp. 261-66, cat. nos. 345-63.