ALBERTO CARLIERI | A capriccio view with classical ruins and Christ blessing a mother and child

oil on canvas

G. Watson;
Anonymous sale, London, Christie's, 14 November 1891, lot 142, to Polak (as one of a pair, as by Van der Ulft);
Anonymous sale, London, Christie's, 11 July 1975, lot 21 (as one of a pair, as Ghisolfi);
Mr. Jack and Mrs. Eileen Feather, California;
Thence by descent to the present owner.

The canvas is lined. The painting presents an elegant image that reads well. The surface is slightly abraded, like for example with the columns at right and the shadows on the bottom left corner. Inspection under UV is difficult to read due to a thick, milky varnish, though there appears to be some minor spots of retouching here and there, like on the cloud at center right, the ceiling at top center, and the cassone at center right. The painting can hang in its present state and is offered in an elaborately carved gilded frame with a blue inner liner.
The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot and is for guidance only. Any reference to condition in the condition report for the lot does not amount to a full description of condition. The images of the lot form part of the condition report for the lot provided by Sotheby's. Certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot. In particular, the online images may represent colours and shades which are different to the lot's actual colour and shades. The condition report for the lot may make reference to particular imperfections of the lot but you should note that the lot may have other faults not expressly referred to in the condition report for the lot or shown in the online images of the lot. The condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alteration or adaptation because Sotheby's is not a professional conservator or restorer but rather the condition report is a statement of opinion genuinely held by Sotheby's. For that reason, Sotheby's condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot.

We are grateful to Dr. David Marshall for endorsing the attribution to Alberto Carlieri on the basis of photographs.

A note on the provenance:

Jack and Eileen Feather met and fell in love as teenagers in their home town of Omaha, Nebraska. When they married, days after Jack's 19th birthday, Eileen was working as a bank clerk and Jack was pursuing a degree in English on his way to becoming a teacher. Soon after the birth of their first child, Jack and Eileen moved to California so that Jack could continue his education at UC Berkeley. Shortly thereafter Jack was diagnosed with polio, leaving him bedridden for months. Jack’s recovery efforts kindled an interest in physical fitness and led to his innovating new exercises to help regain strength. Eileen began exercising with Jack, acting as his tireless workout partner, motivator, and collaborator; their pioneering exercises helped him make a full recovery and feeling stronger than ever.

In an effort to allow them to share their knowledge and help people, Jack and Eileen decided to start a business together, and the Eileen Feather Figure Salon was created. Soon, through their talent and determination, the salon grew to become an extremely successful franchise and Eileen herself became an icon of health, beauty and self-made success. When it came to Jack and Eileen enjoying the privileges of their success, they always thought of ways to broaden their horizons through art. Together they started a lovely collection of Old Masters full of historical portraits, mythological allegories, religious scenes, and breathtaking landscapes. Besides their remarkable taste in art, the collection reflects and honors their lifelong partnership.