Pietro Antonio Rotari, 1707 Verona – 1762 Sankt Petersburg

CIMON AND EFIGENIA Oil on canvas. Doubled. 95 x 75 cm. In bronzed profile frame. Accompanied by a copy of an expertise by Mauro U. Lucco, Bazzano di Neviano Arduini, December 20, 2023. In his novella in the "Decamerone", Giovanni Boccaccio tells the story of Cimon, who is disinterested in education and good manners despite his high lineage. However, as can be seen here, he catches sight of the beautiful and educated Efigenia and decides to win her affections by acquiring the knowledge that would make a young man a nobleman. Born in Verona, Rotari's talent was discovered by his first teacher Antonio Ballestra (1666-1740), who encouraged him to pursue a career as an artist. He studied in Venice, Rome and Naples and finally stayed with Francesco Solimena (1657-1747) until 1734 before settling back in Verona, where he ran his own successful workshop. He then spent time in Vienna and Dresden (from 1752 or 1753) before traveling to Saint Petersburg to become a court painter. Although he became famous in Verona for his sacred paintings, his portrait series, which made human passions their main theme, were as popular then as they are today. Rotari was able to demonstrate his ability to depict female beauties in a sleeping state in many ways. Here, one of these is now embedded in a classical narrative. Literature: Cf. Il Settecento a Verona. Tiepolo Cignaroli Rotari, la nobilità della pittura, exhibition catalog, Verona 2011, p. 131f. (1391394) (13) Pietro Antonio Rotari, 1707 Verona - 1762 Saint Petersburg CIMON AND IPHIGENIA Oil on canvas. Relined. 95 x 75 cm. Accompanied by an expert's report by Mauro U. Lucco, Bazzano di Neviano Arduini, 20 December 2023, in copy. Literature: cf. Il Settecento a Verona. Tiepolo, Cignaroli, Rotari. La nobilità della pittura, exhibition catalog, Verona 2011, pp. 131.