Francesco Albotto, 1721/22 Venedig – 1757 ebenda

LANDSCAPE WITH ANCIENT RUINS AND MONUMENTS BY A LAKE Oil on canvas. 71 x 96.5 cm. Accompanied by an expertise by Dario Succi, Gorizia and an expertise by Prof. Egidio Martini, copy. Thematically and formally, the painting presents itself as a capriccio, the individual pictorial contents imaginatively arranged as antique set pieces, enlivened by contemporary figural staffage. The ruinous building with columns and reliefs dominates, slightly elevated on the left near a lake shore. In front of it is a monument with a riderless horse. In the center of the picture is a high stone pedestal with a dark bronze bowl on top. Capitals and cornice fragments enrich the antique ambience. We are particularly familiar with such capriccios from Marco Ricci or Pannini. Here too, the staffage figures are typical, such as a traveler who is visibly admiring the lost ancient relics, while other figures are shown in rural dress. In contrast to Pannini, for example, the Venetian's work shows a more precise treatment of architectural details, trained by the veduta painting of Venice. Only a few sources provide information about Albotto's biography and work. It is assumed that he was a pupil and collaborator of Michele Marieschi (1710-1744), as he married the latter's widow after his death, took over the workshop and soon became known as the "second Marieschi". It is therefore not surprising that his works were often attributed to Marieschi. It was only when a painting with the signature and inscription "Francesco Albotto F (fecit) in S. Luca Cale di Ca Loredan" appeared in New York in 1972 that it was possible to identify his hand. At the same time, this designation also indicates the location of his studio. Although the painter is known in particular for his Venice vedute, he also occasionally created landscapes, mostly with ancient Roman set pieces, as in the present painting. Not too many of Albotto's works are known, but several can be found in public collections and museums, including the Gemäldegalerie, Naples, Museo e Gallerie Nazionali di Capodimonte, Vicenza, Gallerie di Palazzo Leoni Montanari, etc. In his expert opinion, Martini dates the painting to around 1740, with reference to Pedrocco (1999, p. 398). A.R. Literature: Cf. Maria Manzelli, Michele Marieschi e il suo alter-ego Francesco Albotto, Venice 2002. Cf. Filippo Pedrocco, Michele Marieschi. La vita, lámbiente, l'opera, Milan 1999. Cf. Rodolfo Pallucchini, Francesco Albotto, erede di Michele Marieschi, arte Veneta, XXVI, 1972, p. 222. Cf. Mario Manzelli, Ulteriori notizie su Francesco Albotto, errede di Michele Marieschi, Arte Veneta, XXXVIII, 1984, pp. 210 f. Cf. Mario Manzelli, Proposta per l'identificazione di Michele Marieschi e del suo alter-ego Francesco Albotto, Arte Veneta, 41, 1987, pp. 111 ff. Cf. Dario Succi, in: Marieschi tra Vaaletto e Guardi, exhib. Cat. Turin 1989, pp. 26 ff and 1165 ff. Cf. Ralph Toledano, Michele Marieschi. L'opera completa, 2nd edition, Milan 1995, pp. 26 ff and 40 ff (1402131) (4) (11) Francesco Albotto, 1721/22 Venice- 1757 ibid. LANDSCAPE WITH ANCIENT RUINS AND MONUMENTS ON A LAKE Oil on canvas. 71 x 96.5 cm.e Accompanied by expert's reports by Dario Succi, Gorizia and by Professor Egidio Martini, in copy. Literature: Maria Manzelli, Michele Marieschi e il suo alter-ego Francesco Albotto, Venice 2002. Filippo Pedrocco, Michele Marieschi, la vita, l'ambiente, l'opera, Milan 1999. Rodolfo Pallucchini, Francesco Albotto, erede di Michele Marieschi, in: Arte Veneta, XXVI, 1972, p. 222. Mario Manzelli, Ulteriori notizie su Francesco Albotto, errede di Michele Marieschi, in: Arte Veneta, XXXVIII, 1984, p. 210f. Mario Manzelli, Proposta per l'identificazione di Michele Marieschi e del suo alter-ego Francesco Albotto, in: Arte Veneta, 41, 1987, p. 111f. Dario Succi (ed.), Marieschi tra Canaletto e Guardi, exhibition catalogue Turin 1989, p. 26f. and p. 1165f. Ralph Toledano, Michele Marieschi. L'opera completa, second edition, Milan 1995, p. 26f. and p. 40f.