1785 - FRANCESCA VOLO' SMILLER, KNOWN AS VICENZINA

FRANCESCA VOLO' SMILLER, KNOWN AS VICENZINA Still Life with a Basket of Flowers Oil on canvas, 42x62 cm Recent studies by the Bocchi have clearly traced the evolution of the Vincenzini studio, and the work presented here is attributable to Francesca Volò Smiller, known as Vincenzina. The rendering of the petals is executed with a swift yet controlled brushstroke, and the formal control is meticulous. The chromatic and luminous contrast of the petals demonstrates the technical skill and formal rigor of a true master of floral painting, with a lifelike quality achieved through multiple layers of transparent glazes. Equally remarkable is the skillful arrangement of the flowering branches, as well as the rich, impasto-like texture, characterized by a vivid light that creates extraordinary mimetic effects, reminiscent of the finest Flemish naturalistic tradition. It must also be strongly emphasized that after the death of her father Vincenzo in 1671, Francesca became the leading figure in the workshop, where the only other collaborator was the nineteen-year-old Giovanna. Given the era, this was a responsibility that a female painter would have found difficult to assume, not to mention the challenges of establishing herself in the art market, even with the patronage of Vitaliano VI Borromeo and the assistance of the painter Luigi Pellegrino Scaramuccia. Bibliography: See G. and U. Bocchi, *Naturaliter: New Contributions to Still Life in Northern Italy and Tuscany between the 17th and 18th Centuries*, Casalmaggiore 1998, pp. 104 and 106 Margherita Caffi and the Vicenzini Workshop, edited by Gianluca Bocchi and Ulisse Bocchi, Parma 2022, II, pp. 455–529