Studio RT Ltd

Description

This is a wonderful, large watercolour - one of two that we are listing - by the well known 19th Century Italian artist Guerrino Guardabassi, who has signed the painting in the lower left hand corner G. Guardabassi.

The painting depicts two children on a shoreline. The girl is wearing traditional peasant costume of the Roman region and is carrying on her back a fishing creel and a long pole with a fishing net draped over it. The boy, seated at her feet, is wearing a shirt, shorts and a straw hat. He has bare feet and next to him on the ground is a wicker basket containing some greenery, which is partially covered by a red cloth. There are also two sticks, which may be primitive fishing spears, but we cannot be certain.

There is amazing attention to detail in this painting, and in its companion, which is a fraction larger.

Guerrino Guardabassi was born in Rome in 1841. He trained at the Accademia di San Luca in Rome and exhibited regularly from 1870 - 1901, mostly in Rome but occasionally in Turin. He painted in watercolours and oils and was known for figures, historic and religious images and very occasionally, landscapes. He painted in the traditional style of the 19th Century Italian school. He died some time after 1901, the date of his last exhibit.

There is one of his paintings in the British National Collection at St. Albans Museum.

Auction results for this artist may be found at the usual sites, with 83 listings at artprice.com. A pair of his watercolours achieved $4,560 in New York in 2012 and his work in both in watercolours and oils, is well regarded.

The painting has been newly double mounted in two-tone acid free mountboard and is newly mounted in a 1 3/8" ornate silver gilt frame. It will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

Image size: 20 1/2" x 13 3/4" - 52cm x 35cm

Frame size: 29 1/4" x 21 7/8" - 74.25cm x 55.55cm

Medium: Watercolours

Condition: Very good. There is possibly some slight age toning to the paper, although the colours are vibrant, but no foxing or damage. The mounts and frame are new.