Cristoforo Munari, 1667 Reggio Emilia – 1720 Pisa,... Lot n° 349

STILL LIFE WITH LEMONS AND CHINESE PORCELAIN Oil on canvas. Doubled. 52 x 65 cm. In an ebonized frame. Against a dark background on a stone slab, a wide, shallow pewter bowl containing the gleaming citrus fruits: lemon and mandarin. One of the lemons is partially cut open, another still has the remains of a twig and green leaves. A chimney-red jar with a lid can also be seen. To the left and right of the tray, valuable Chinese blue and white porcelain is visible. High-quality painting with excellent rendering of the depicted fruit and skillful use of light with deliberately placed highlights on the porcelain objects. Today, the artist is considered an important master of Italian still life painting at the turn of the 18th century. He probably moved from Parma to Rome around 1697. He painted still lifes in which he often depicted musical instruments and precious carpets alongside fruit, vegetables, porcelain and glasses. His painting is characterized by great care in composition and execution. One of his most important patrons in Rome was Cardinal Giuseppe Renato Imperiali (1651-1737), for whom he painted four pictures, including a still life with a guitar, wine bottle and fruit, signed and dated 1705. He also worked for Ferdinando I de' Medici (1549-1609), which led to Munari moving to Florence in 1707. Today, his works can be found in the Palazzo Pitti and the Uffizi Gallery. Literature: Cf. Francesca Baldassari, Cristoforo Munari, nos. 60 and 61 (1401282) (13) Cristoforo Munari, 1667 Reggio Emilia - 1720 Pisa, attributed STILL LIFE WITH LEMONS AND CHINESE PORCELAIN Oil on canvas. Relined. 52 x 65 cm.