LEONARDO COCCORANTE (Naples, 1680-1750 ca.) Lot n° 21

Pair of architectural caprices 1. Monks and pilgrims on the bridge. 2. Resurrection of Lazarus. Oil on canvas, 180 x 120 cm (each) Appearing on Italian market some years ago, this pair of architectural caprices is for sure to be attributed to the great Neapolitan maestro, expert in architectural caprices with figures (see Finarte, Dipinti antichi, Rome, 11 Dec. 2008). The first caprice features three land-going pilgrim monks along with plebeians, whereas the pendant a scene with the resurrection of Lazarus. Well-preserved, the paintings have never been on display before, except for the catalogue above-quoted. Photographs of both them were attentively analyzed by Federico Zeri back in 1989 as Harry Salamon states in a handwritten note. In fact, the author of this commentary viewed the said note the current owner of paintings possesses, judging the pair as one of the best by Coccorante. What is peculiar to the caprices is the distinction between the two architectural foregrounds, amongst the most excellent the artist ever executed; in the Resurrection of Lazarus - played down compared to the overall composition - the series of columns concluding with the serliana at the back in off-axis perspective favouring the right, is a novelty frequently recurring in the artist's paintings. 21aFor an excellent example of this see Landscape with classical ruins and figures forming part of Salocchi collection, Florence (Fototeca Zeri, card 64030, envelope 0593.), where the line of columns leads to the scene of banditry in the background. Another good example is Caprice with figures kept in an undisclosed private collection. So the theme of the huge room with a fallen in vault, recalling Roman baths, turns up in several other later paintings such as Landscape with classical ruins (Fototeca Zeri, card 64033, envelope 0593). Coccorante co-operated with three other figure painters, famous Giacomo del Po and less renown Giuseppe Tomaioli and Giuseppe Marziali. As the style of Dal Po is