CARLO LABRUZZI | A landscape capriccio of Rome with figures

oil on canvas

Anonymous sale, London, Sotheby's, 20 April 1988, lot 129 (as Andrea Locatelli);
There acquired by the present collector.

The canvas is waxed lined. The painting presents a beautiful image with the colors well preserved. Very minor and stable craquelure here and there, like on the bush at bottom center. Small spots of scattered retouches visible to the naked eye behind the palm trees at center left, on the clouds and sky in top right quadrant, and a small dot on the bottom corner at far left. Minor frame abrasions visible along the edges. Inspection under UV: two thin, small lines of inpainting to address the craquelure on the trees at center and a few, small spots of strengthening scattered on the sky and foreground. Painting can hang it its present state, and is offered in a giltwood frame enclosed by a dark wood frame with a velvet inner lining.
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.

This painting is exemplary of Calro Labruzzi's later paintings. Although the insertion of palm trees was not typical in his compositions, this can probably be justified by the growing interest and taste for Egypt. We are grateful to Dr. Giancarlo Sestieri for suggesting the attribution on the basis of photographs.