83 - CHRISTIAN BERENTZ, follower of

CHRISTIAN BERENTZ, follower of (Hamburg 1658 – Rome 1722) STILL LIFE WITH FRUIT, GLASS CUP, PLATTER, AND PRECIOUS OBJECTS Oil on canvas, 70x50 cm. Gilded and carved wooden frame. This elegant composition follows the tradition of Roman still life from the late 17th to the early 18th century, showing significant affinities with the figurative repertoire of Christian Berentz, a painter of German origin active in Rome and one of the most refined masters of the genre. Arranged on a stone surface partially covered by a drape, ripe fruits, bunches of grapes, delicate flowers, and precious vessels come together in a composition of refined complexity. Of particular note are the glass goblet and the elaborate metal stand, whose rendering of light contrasts with the warm tones of the fruit and the depth of the dark background. The balanced arrangement of the objects, the attention to the varying textures of the surfaces, and the taste for effects of transparency and light refraction all reflect Berentz’s painterly style, in which the Nordic tradition blends with the decorative sensibility of the Roman Baroque. The work attests to the popularity of the master’s models in the Roman artistic milieu of the early 18th century, distinguished by the richness of its ornamentation and its refined chiaroscuro composition. CONDITION REPORT Recent relining; a painted restoration on the left near the small glass vessel containing wine; and several restorations at the bottom right near the edges of the support.