Attributed to Johann Richter

D. Succi, Il fiore di Venezia. Dipinti dal Seicento all'Ottocento in collezioni private, Gorizia 2014, pp. 172-74, cat. no. 111, reproduced in color (as by Richter);
D. Succi, Luca Carlevarijs, Gorizia 2015, p. 101, reproduced fig. 81 (as by Richter).

Canvas is lined, with a slight undulation in upper left corner. The painting presents a strong and lively image beneath a clear varnish. Some possible faint thinness visible in the sky, but this is not distracting. Inspection under UV reveals some evenly applied retouching and strengthening scattered throughout, as well as some thin lines of retouching to address what appears to be an old horizontal seam or stretcher bar mark along lower edge. UV also reveals a few more concentrated spots of retouching in some spots, for example in upper left, in lower left in the balcony and the bridge at background, and near the figure in white at lower edge. Retouchings have been well applied and are not distracting, and the painting can be hung in its present state. It is offered in a carved wooden frame painted with a faux-marble decoration.
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In 1574, Henry III of France outlawed any type of battling with clubs in Venice after having witnessed a particularly violent display of this 'sport.'  Fighting with fists, however, remained extremely popular, particularly the boxing matches between the two rival factions in Venice: the Nicoletti, who wore black caps, and the Castellani, who wore red.  These matches generally took place between September and the Carnival season, though less official outbursts occurred all year, and they were held either at the Ponte della Guerra in San Zulian, or (as in the present work) on the Ponte dei Pugni in San Barnaba. Both bridges had fondamenta, or banks along the canal, on either side, allowing plenty of room for spectators.  Once the umpires were in place the sport would commence with matches between about ten of the best boxers from each side, accompanied by drums and trumpets.  This would soon transition into the frotta, or a free-for-all, with other team members followed by members of the public, and spectators from the balconies and roofs sometimes threw heavy objects or boiling water on the crowd below.  The sport was finally banned in 1705 to much popular regret, as were paintings of the subject.