拍品 3001 - A172 大师画作 - Freitag, 27. März 2015, 03.00 PM
NERI DI BICCI
(1418 Florence 1492)
The Ascension of Christ. Circa 1475–80.
Tempera and gold ground on panel.
95 × 57 cm.
Literature:
Provenienz: #br#- Sammlung Barons of Petre, Essex, wohl 19. Jh. (gemäss rückseitigem Wappen auf rotem Siegelwachs). #br#- Schweizer oder deutscher Kunsthandel, frühes 20. Jh. (gemäss rückseitiger Abbildung). #br#- Schweizer Privatsammlung. #br##br#Einer Zuweisung an Neri di Bicci dieser in starken Farben gehaltenen, prächtig erhaltenen Tafel kann nichts entgegengestellt werden. Tatsächlich handelt es sich hier um ein typisches Werk des sehr produktiven Florentiner Malers Neri di Bicci, des letzten Sprösslings einer berühmten Florentinischen Malerdynastie seit Lorenzo di Bicci (ca. 1350-1427). Der beinahe unveränderte Malstil des Künstlers blieb zeitlebens stark geprägt von der mittelalterlichen Goldgrundmalerei seiner Vorväter Lorenzo di Bicci (ca. 1350-1427) und Bicci di Lorenzo (1373-1452), jedoch nicht ohne ansatzweise klassische Versatzstücke in seine Bilder einzubauen oder in seltenen Fällen wie im 1460 gemalten Verkündigungsbild im Konvento von Certomodo in Poppi auch ganze Raumkonzepte. Seine Bildwelt blieb aber stets ein bunter irrealer Kosmos, wo sich die himmlischen Wunder zwischen Himmel und Erde abspielen. Die kunsthistorische Bedeutung Neri di Biccis liegt besonders in den Aufzeichnungen in seinen (im Archiv der Uffizien gelagerten) Tagebüchern. Sie sind von grundlegender Bedeutung für die damalige Kunstproduktion, denn sie geben unmittelbaren Aufschluss über den Alltag und die Produktionsweise einer Künstlerwerkstatt im Florenz der Renaissance (siehe Santi, Bruno (Hg.): Neri di Bicci, Le ricordanze, 10 marzo 1453 -24 aprile 1475, Pisa 1976). Aus diesen Aufzeichnungen entnehmen wir auch, dass Neri di Bicci wohl wegen seiner soliden technischen Fähigkeiten ein gefragter Ausbilder war, bei dem sich unter anderen Francesco Botticini, Giusto d'Andrea und Cosimo Rosselli, Autor einer hier ebenfalls zum Verkauf angebotenen Tafel (Los 3006) zeitweise ausbilden liessen. Letzterer sollte später gar zu jener Malerelite aufsteigen, die nach Rom berufen wurde, um die Sixtina zu freskieren (1481/82). Stilkritische Überlegungen und der Umstand, dass das hier angebotene Tafelbild mit der Himmelfahrt Christi nicht in Neri di Biccis Aufzeichnungen zwischen 1453 und April 1475 figuriert, sind klare Hinweise dafür, dass dieses in seinem Spätwerk nach 1475 zuzurechnen ist. Dies wird auch bestätigt durch die dinglich als dreidimensionale Scheiben aufgefassten goldenen Heiligenscheine, die sich in seinem Spätwerk im 8. Jahrzehnt des 15. Jahrhunderts ähnlich vorfinden. Dieser Trend zu allerdings noch naiv anmutenden Naturalismen ist auch im köstlichen Detail des auf dem zentralen Felsplateau zwei dunkle Fusstapfen hinterlassenden Schattenwurfs der Füsse des zum Himmel fahrenden Christus zu erkennen. Stilistisch schliesst sich vorliegendes Bild an Werke wie das ehemals in der Brüsseler Sammlung van Gelder befindliche Tafelbild mit der Anbetung des Kindes oder die beiden am 8. Juli 2004 bei Sotheby's in London verkauften Tabernakel Flügel, deren Datierung wohl gleich wie unsere Tafel in die Jahre zwischen 1475-80 anzusetzen ist. Neri di Bicci war ein technisch wie kommerziell versierter Maler, der sich den jeweiligen Auftraggeber flexibel anzupassen wusste. Wenn es darum ging einen urbanen Auftrag in Florenz zu erledigen, wie um 1455, in der Vallombrosaner Kirche Santa Trinità in Florenz das ganz nach dem Kunstempfinden der Renaissance gestaltete Fresko zu Ehren des Giovanni Gualberto, war Neri durchaus befähigt nach den modernen Prinzipien der florentinischen Renaissance zu gestalten, doch seine Hauptklientele blieben meist Ordenskirchen und Private in den ländlichen Gegenden um Florenz, für die er fromme Bilder nach der hergebrachten Ästhetik der farbenfrohen Goldgrundmalerei des Mittelalters schuf. Wir danken Prof. Dr. Gaudenz Freuler für die Unterstützung bei der Katalogisierung dieses Gemäldes.
Provenance:
- Collection of Baron Petre, of Essex, probably 19th century (according to a crest in red sealing wax on the back).
- Swiss or German art market, early 20th c. (according to a label on the back).
- Swiss private collection.
An attribution to Neri di Bicci of this richly coloured, gorgeously preserved panel cannot be opposed. In fact, this is a typical work by the prolific Florentine painter Neri di Bicci, the last heir to the famous Florentine painting dynasty established by Lorenzo di Bicci (ca. 1350-1427). The artist's painterly style, which remained largely unchanged throughout his life, was strongly shaped on the traditions of the medieval gold ground painting learnt from his forefathers Lorenzo di Bicci (ca. 1350-1427) and Bicci di Lorenzo (1373-1452), though he modernized his pictorial language by occasionally integrating into his paintings rudimentary classical elements. In rare cases, such as in the Annunciation in the Convento di Certomodo in Poppi (1460) he even chose to place his scenes within the convincingly structured perspective of classicising Renaissance architecture, according to the taste of the great Renaissance painters of his time. But his pictorial world always remained a fabulous and colourful cosmos between heaven and earth where celestial miracles played out. The art historical importance of Neri di Bicci lies particularly in the notes recorded in his diaries (stored in the archive of the Uffizi). They are of fundamental importance to the study of art production at the time, because they provide direct information about the daily life and production of an artist's workshop in Renaissance Florence (see Santi, Bruno (ed.): Neri di Bicci, Le Ricordanze, 10 marzo 1453 -24 aprile 1475 Pisa 1976). From these records we learn also that Neri di Bicci, probably because of his strong technical skills, was sought after as an instructor by, among others, Francesco Botticini, Giusto d'Andrea and Cosimo Rosselli, author of a panel also offered here for sale (lot 3006), who intermittently trained with him. The latter would ascend later to that elite group of painters called to Rome in order to fresco the Sistine Chapel (1481/82). Stylistic considerations and the fact that this painting of the Ascension of Christ offered here does not figure in Neri di Bicci's records between 1453 and April 1475, indicate clearly that it should be placed among his late work after 1475. This is also confirmed by the conception of the golden halos as solid three-dimensional discs, which are found similarly in his later work during the 8th decade of the 15th century. This trend towards a still naïve naturalism, however, is also evident in the exquisite detail of two dark footprints visible on the rocky plateau at centre: shadows cast by the feet of Christ as he ascends to heaven. Stylistically, the present picture joins works such as a panel painting of the Adoration of the Child, formerly in the van Gelder collection, Brussels; or two tabernacle wings, sold at Sotheby's in London on 8 July 2004, which most likely date to the years 1475-80, as our panel.
Neri di Bicci was a technically accomplished and commercially successful painter who knew how to adapt his style to each patron. When it came time to fulfill an urban commission in Florence, as in 1455 within the Vallambrosian church of Santa Trinita, which was decorated in honour of Giovanni Gualberto in accord with the artistic sensibility of the Renaissance fresco, Neri was well-qualified to incorporate modern principles of the Florentine Renaissance in his designs; however, his primary clientele were churches of religious orders and private individuals in the rural areas around Florence, for which he created devotional images in accordance with the traditional aesthetics of colourful gold ground paintings from the Middle Ages.
We thank Prof. Dr. Gaudenz Freuler for his assistance in cataloguing this lot.
- Collection of Baron Petre, of Essex, probably 19th century (according to a crest in red sealing wax on the back).
- Swiss or German art market, early 20th c. (according to a label on the back).
- Swiss private collection.
An attribution to Neri di Bicci of this richly coloured, gorgeously preserved panel cannot be opposed. In fact, this is a typical work by the prolific Florentine painter Neri di Bicci, the last heir to the famous Florentine painting dynasty established by Lorenzo di Bicci (ca. 1350-1427). The artist's painterly style, which remained largely unchanged throughout his life, was strongly shaped on the traditions of the medieval gold ground painting learnt from his forefathers Lorenzo di Bicci (ca. 1350-1427) and Bicci di Lorenzo (1373-1452), though he modernized his pictorial language by occasionally integrating into his paintings rudimentary classical elements. In rare cases, such as in the Annunciation in the Convento di Certomodo in Poppi (1460) he even chose to place his scenes within the convincingly structured perspective of classicising Renaissance architecture, according to the taste of the great Renaissance painters of his time. But his pictorial world always remained a fabulous and colourful cosmos between heaven and earth where celestial miracles played out. The art historical importance of Neri di Bicci lies particularly in the notes recorded in his diaries (stored in the archive of the Uffizi). They are of fundamental importance to the study of art production at the time, because they provide direct information about the daily life and production of an artist's workshop in Renaissance Florence (see Santi, Bruno (ed.): Neri di Bicci, Le Ricordanze, 10 marzo 1453 -24 aprile 1475 Pisa 1976). From these records we learn also that Neri di Bicci, probably because of his strong technical skills, was sought after as an instructor by, among others, Francesco Botticini, Giusto d'Andrea and Cosimo Rosselli, author of a panel also offered here for sale (lot 3006), who intermittently trained with him. The latter would ascend later to that elite group of painters called to Rome in order to fresco the Sistine Chapel (1481/82). Stylistic considerations and the fact that this painting of the Ascension of Christ offered here does not figure in Neri di Bicci's records between 1453 and April 1475, indicate clearly that it should be placed among his late work after 1475. This is also confirmed by the conception of the golden halos as solid three-dimensional discs, which are found similarly in his later work during the 8th decade of the 15th century. This trend towards a still naïve naturalism, however, is also evident in the exquisite detail of two dark footprints visible on the rocky plateau at centre: shadows cast by the feet of Christ as he ascends to heaven. Stylistically, the present picture joins works such as a panel painting of the Adoration of the Child, formerly in the van Gelder collection, Brussels; or two tabernacle wings, sold at Sotheby's in London on 8 July 2004, which most likely date to the years 1475-80, as our panel.
Neri di Bicci was a technically accomplished and commercially successful painter who knew how to adapt his style to each patron. When it came time to fulfill an urban commission in Florence, as in 1455 within the Vallambrosian church of Santa Trinita, which was decorated in honour of Giovanni Gualberto in accord with the artistic sensibility of the Renaissance fresco, Neri was well-qualified to incorporate modern principles of the Florentine Renaissance in his designs; however, his primary clientele were churches of religious orders and private individuals in the rural areas around Florence, for which he created devotional images in accordance with the traditional aesthetics of colourful gold ground paintings from the Middle Ages.
We thank Prof. Dr. Gaudenz Freuler for his assistance in cataloguing this lot.
CHF 60 000 / 80 000 | (€ 61 860 / 82 470)
以瑞士法郎銷售 CHF 78 000 (包含買家佣金)
所有信息随时可能更改。