Detti - Italian - Oil 82 X 128 Cms - Medieval Joust

Large painting by Cesare-Auguste DETTI, almost 1m30 long, depicting the preparations for a medieval joust.
We discover two riders and their horses, placed in the light in the center of the composition, in front of a tribune awaiting the confrontation.
A rare theme, superbly animated and truly spectacular !

This unsigned work constitutes the preparatory painting (hence the absence of signature, a slightly sketched appearance and some visible drawn lines) for the painting by Cesare-Auguste DETTI entitled "before the joust", sold for $30,550 on November 1, 2001 (lot 72) by Christie's New-York.
It should be noted that the final version, dated 1890, was of a slightly smaller format 75 x 118 cms (see photo).

Comparing the two versions of DETTI (see photo), the one we are offering for sale and the one sold by CHRISTIE's, we can see the following changes made by the painter to the composition : removal of parasitic elements such as the man advancing on the far left, as well as the dome on the same vertical plane or the tree on the far right, tightening between the two horses on the left which allows to fill a space where the city appeared in the background, raising of the flags of the tribune without forgetting of course the rearing horse in the preparatory work, much more docile in the final version !

Cesare Auguste Detti was born in Spoleto, Italy, on December 28, 1847 and died in Paris on May 19, 1914.
He is considered a history and genre painter of the Italian school.
He acquired a worldwide reputation thanks to his brilliant paintings of 19th century costumes.
Detti studied at the Academy of Saint Luke. He developed his talents as a genre painter with Marsal y Fortuny (1838-1874) and Francesco Podesti (1800-1895). After completing his studies, he began to exhibit throughout Italy.
His first exhibition was in Naples in 1872 and then in Rome in 1876. Building on his success in Italy, Detti began to receive invitations to exhibit around the world.
He then went to Paris in 1876 to open his studio and exhibit. Upon his arrival in Paris, he had the honor of being nominated for the Salon des artistes français. In 1889, Detti received a bronze medal at the Universal Exhibition and a silver medal in 1900.

His works are present in many museums around the world: Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, Los Angeles (USA), Galleria d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, Turin (Italy), Musée Carnavalet in Paris...

Highly sought after by collectors, DETTI's paintings sell for tens of thousands of euros, up to 300,000 euros at auction !

Oil on canvas

82 x 128 cms (sold without frame)

Unsigned

Superb presentation, clean work requiring no cleaning, note old restorations very well done and without visual consequences

Photos taken in sunlight

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