206 - Attributed to Giovanni Schranz,

Attributed to Giovanni Schranz, Spanish 1794-1882- View of a boat on the shore in Marsamxett Harbour, Valletta, with the Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the distance; pencil, ink and wash on paper, bears watermark for Whatman 1844, 24.2 x 37 cm. Provenance: Private Collection, UK. Note: Born in Menorca, Giovanni Schranz, also known as Johan Schranz, was the son of the marine painter Anton Schranz (1769-1839). After his father's death in 1839, he and his brother Antonio (1801-1864) continued the family studio in Malta. The present work is typical of Schranz's oeuvre, best known for his views of the Maltese coastline and harbours. Founded by the Knights of St John after the Great Siege of 1565, Valletta became one of the Mediterranean's principal fortified ports and, following the British occupation of Malta in 1800, an important naval and commercial centre. Comparable works by Giovanni Schranz include 'View of the Fort of St Angelo, Valletta', which sold at Christie's, London, on 24 September 2008, lot 291 (£2,500), and 'Sliema Creek, Valletta, Malta', which also sold at Christie's, London, on 24 September 2008, lot 290 (£5,250).