Composition With Lemons And Dog

Roman school, second half of the 17th century

Composition with lemons and dog

Oil on canvas, cm 97.5 x 74.5

With frame, cm 120 x 95

The work we describe here can be framed in the style of the still life that blossomed Rome during the seventeenth century, involving both Italian artists and foreign painters and especially French and Flemish, came to the city in search of rich commissions and artistic novelties to learn in order to increase their own qualities. The names that are closest to this work are those of Pier Francesco Cittadini (1616-1681) and Francesco Noletti, known as Il Maltese but for a long time also known as Fieravino (1611-1654). Originally from Milan the first and Malta the second, both found themselves working in the Urbe, where they tried their hand at the genre of still life, obtaining great success both in terms of customers and in terms of followers and imitators. The Citizens had previously also other experiences: student of Daniele Crespi in Milan first and Guido Reni in Bologna then, he landed with greater determination to still life only once arrived in Rome, where he got to know the French artists who practice this particular genre. More focused and purified by the other genres is instead the Noletti, arrived directly in Rome from the small island of malta, which earned him the nickname maltese, he distinguished himself immediately, also in the Nordic countries, as shown by the engravings of Jacques Coelemans and the reproductions of Jacques Hupin , for the high lenticular quality of his works, particularly in the rendering of the fabrics of the Turkish carpets which constantly appear in his paintings, Similarly to the one lying disordinately on the raised floor.Continuing with the similarities we find the presence of the metal tray with fruits, apples and lemons, but especially the metal jar at the foot of the scene; these elements capable of enhancing the reflections of light in the dark setting are typical in the still lifes of Noletti while it is rare the presence of the little dog or, in general, an animal element, which instead we find in many works of Citizens. The space behind it is not particularly bright but shows itself open through an arc that frames a corner of cloudy sky; this breath towards the open as well as the very description of the architectural elements that surround the room are also elements that seem somewhat absent in the production of the Maltese artist, but which are found in the Citizens: an example is the canvas preserved at the National Gallery of Ancient Art in Trieste, or that of the Estense Gallery in Modena, where we can also detect the animal presence in the cat that attacks the cage containing a small bird. The game is therefore played between different peculiarities, seen and born in the same city but by two different artists who were able to identify a certain commonality in the figurative choices of this genre; This work combines the analytical weaving of the oriental carpet and the precious reverberation of metal with the greater airiness of the background and the dynamic presence of the little dog, Demonstrating to know how to reconcile the choices of two artists who left a huge furrow in the history of Roman still life and not only.