Art/Auctions: Selected Renaissance and Mannerist Works of Art Assembled by Fabrizio Moretti at Christie's New York January 29, 2015

Selected Renaissance and Mannerist Works of Art
Assembled by Fabrizio Maretti
Sotheby's New York
January 29, 2015

Sale 9306

Piero

Lot 135, "Dispute Between Poseidon and Athena for Supremacy over Attica," by Michele da Verona, tempera on panel transferred to canvas and laid down on panel, 58 1/4 by 70 1/8 inches

By Carter B. Horsley

In an introduction to the catalogue, George Wachter, the head of Sotheby's Old Master Department, wrote that "Fabrizio [Moretti] had the idea of this sale as a way to raise money for his charity, which helps people with physical difficulties through the therapy of horses" and "he later decided to also give part of the funds to The Metropolitan Museum of Art to helpencourage new young scholars and restorers to learn and grown in their disciplines in the coming years."

An article in the January/February issue of Sotheby's Magazine by Meghan Dailey said that the 38-year old art dealer who has a gallery on East 82nd Street grew up in Prato, Italy and his father, Alfredo Moretti was an art dealer. It noted that the young Moretti is also an avid collector of contemporary art.

The auction is highlighted by some fine paintings by Lorenzo Veneziano, Michele da Verona, Albertinelli, Brescianino, del Garbo, Sellaio, and Jacopo di Cione, and good sculptures by the circle of Andrew del Verrocchio and Mino...

Lot 135 is a large and impressive work attributed in the catalogue to Michele da Verona (1470-circa 1544) that is entitled "Dispute Between Poseidon and Athena for Supremacy over Attica." A tempera on panel transferred to canvas and laid down on panel, it measures 58 1/4 by 70 1/8 inches. "Published as by Vittore Carpaccio and Lazzaro Bastiani for many years," the catalogue entry said, "Mattia Vinco corroborated the tentative proposals of Roberto Longhi and Licia Collobi that the painting is in fact by Michele da Verona." The painting recalls Piero della Francesco. It has an estimate of $60,000 to $80,000. It sold for $75,000, including the buyer's premium as do all results mentioned in this article.

Lot 125, "Madonna and Chyild with the infant Saint John the Baptist, seated by a window, an extensive landscape beyond," by Workshop of Sandro Botticelli, tempera on panel, a tondo 32 7/8 inches in diameter

Lot 125 is a very beautiful tondo of the Madonna and Child with the infant Saint John the Baptist by the workshop of Alessandro Filipepi,called Sandro Botticelli. It is tempera on panel that measures 32 7/8 inches in diameter. The work was confiscated from Count Anton Lanckoronksi of Vienna and given to Hermann Goring as a birthday gift and later recovered by the Monuments Men and reconstituted to t he Lanckoronski family. It has been extensly published. The catalogue entry notes that there is a second tondo version in the Hay collection in Washington, D.C., and a upright format version in the Museum of Fine Art in Boston, and recently the latter has been reclassified as an autograph Botticelli. This lot has an estimate of $600,000 to $800,000. It sold for $1,085,000.

Lot 117, "The Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints Mary Magdalene and Catherine," by Raffaellino del Garbo, tempera on panel, a tondo 36 1/4 inches in diameter.

Lot 177 is a tondo by Raffaellino del Garbo (1466(?)-1524) entitled "The Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints Mary Magdalene and Catherine. It is a tempera on panel and is 36 1/4 inches in diameter. It has an estimate of $80,000 to $120,000. It sold for $87,500.

Lot 123, "Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist in a Landscape," by Jacopo del Sellaio, tempera on panel, 26 1/2 inches high

Lot 123 is a fine tempera on panel by Jacopo del Sellaio (circa 1441-1493) entitled "Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist." It is 26 1/2 inches high. It has an esitmate of $80,000 to $120,000. It sold for $118,750.

Lot 116, "Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Saint Sigismund of Burgundy," by Lorenzo Veneziano, circa 1368, tempera on panel with gold ground, 38 1/2 inches high

Lot 116 is an lovely pair of paintings by Lorenzo Veneziano (active in Venice circa 1356-1379). One depicts Saint Catherine of Alexandria and the other Saint Sigismund of Burgundy. They are tempera on panel with gold ground, are 38 1/2 inches high and were executed circa 1368. A detail of the head of St. Catherine graces the catalogue's cover. The lot has an estimate of $600,000 to $800,000. It sold for $1,325,000.

Lot 126, "The Crucifixion with the Madonna, Saint John the Evangelist, Mary Magdalene and Saint Francis of Assisi," Sienese or Neapolitan School, mid-14th Century, tempera on panel, gold ground, 17 3/8 by 11 7/8 inches

Lot 126 is lovely Sienese or Neapolitan School, mid-14th Century of the Crucifizion. It is a tempera on panel with gold ground and measures 17 3/8 by 11 7/8 inches. Various scholars have attributed the lot to artists who were followers of Simone Martini or Pietro Lorenzetti. The lot has an estimate of $180,000 to $220,000. It sold for $221,000.

Lot 141, "Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints Anthony Abbot, Mary Magdalene, Catherine of Alexandria, and a Bishop Saint," by Jacopo di Cione, tempera on panel with gold ground, 29 3/4 inches high

Lot 141 is a spectacular tempera on panel with gold ground by Jacopo di Cione (documented in Florence 1365-1398) entitled "Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints Anthony Abbot, Mary Magdalene, Catherine of Alexandria, and a Bishop Saint." It is 29 3/4 inches high. The catalogue entry states that it "is a panel of extraordinary quality and is among the earliest and indeed most beautiful, of the artist's surviving works." It has an estimate of $600,000 to $800,000. It sold for $965,000.

Lot 111, "The Crucifixion with the Virgin and Saints Mary Magdalene and John the Evangelist," the Master of the Corsi Crucifix, circa 1315-1320, 12 1/2 by 7 1/8 inches tempera on panel with gold ground

Lot 111 is a fine Crucifixion schene by the Master of the Corsi Crucifix that is in a private collection in Florence. This lot is tempera on panel with gold ground and 12 1/2 inches high and was painted circa 1315-1320. The artist worked in Florence in the immediate wake of Giotto. It has an estimate of $60,000 to $80,000. It failed to sell.

Lot 133, "Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist," by Andrea Brescianino, oil on panel, 28 5/8 by 23 5/8 inches

Lot 133 is a beautiful oil on panel by Andrea Brescianino (circa 1487-after 1525) entitled "Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist. It measures 28 5/8 by 23 5/8 inches. It has a modest estimate of $50,000 to $70,000. It sold for $61,250.

Lot 140, "Madonna and Childbeside a window, a landscape beyond," by Mariotto di Biagio di Bindo Albertinelli, tempera on panel, 23 3/8 inches high

Lot 140 is a lovely tempera on panel by Mariotto di Biagio di Bindo Albertinelli (1474-1515). It is entitled "Madonna and Child Beside a Window, a Landscape Beyond." It is 23 3/8 inches high. It has an estimate of $150,000 to $200,000. It failed to sell.

Lot 122, "Madonna and Child before a pink granite ledge, an extensive mountainous landscape beyond," by Pasqualino da Venezia, oil on panel, 20 3/8 by 16 3/4 inches

Lot 122 is a very fine oil on panel by Pasqualino da Venezia (active 1495-1504) entitled "Madonna and Child before a pink ledge, an extensive mountainous landscape beyond." It is 20 3/8 inches high and was once in the collection of Prince Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, King of Holland, in 1815. It has an estmate of $200,000 to $300,000. It sold for $281,000.

Lot 115, "Saint Michel the Archangel," by Giovanni della Robbia, glazed terracotta, 22 inches high

Lot 115, "Saint Michael the Archangel," is a superb glazed terracotta by Giovanni della Robbia (circra 1500-1510). It is 22 inches high. It has an estimate of $70,000 to $90,000. It sold for $413,000.

Lot 124, "Head of a Child," by Mino da Fiesole," marble, 11 1/4 inches high

Lot 124, "Head of a Child" is a marble sculpture by Mino da Fiesole (1429-1484) is, according to the catalogue entry "an excitin addition to his oeuvre which includes no other known portraits of children." His first documented work, the portrait of Piero de' Medici...now in the Bargllo, Florence, the catalogue entry continued, "it the first securely dated portrait bust of the Renasiiance." The lot has an estimate of $100,000 to $150,000. It sold for $100,000.

Lot 130, "Bust of Christ the Redeemer," by circle of Andrea del Verrocchio, terracotta with traces of polychromy, 17 7/8 inches high

Lot 130 is a terracotta bust of Christ the Redeemer by the circle of Andrea del Verrocchio (1436-1488). It has traces of polychromy and is 17 7/8 inches high. It has an estimate of $20,000 to $30,000. It sold for $30,000.

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