18th Century and Earlier Paintings

Pastoral Scene with Figures Dutch Old Master, 17th century oil on canvas, framed Framed: 16.5 x 24 inches Canvas : 13 x 21 inches Provenance: private collection, UK Condition: very g...

US buyers pay no import tariffs on this painting. This early 18th-century English School portrait depicts Thomas Stanley wearing a striking red velvet suit, white cravat and powdere...

Peter Monamy (London 1681-1749) A Calm with a Man of War firing a Salute Oil on canvas Canvas Size 14 1/4 x 17 1/4 in Framed Size 20 x 24 in Peter Monamy was an acclaimed British marine painter of the late 17th and early 18th centuries, renowned for his evocative depictions of seascapes and naval scenes. Born in 1681 on Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands, Monamy displayed an early affinity for art, which was shaped by the maritime culture of his homeland. His works vividly capture the drama and grandeur of the sea, marking him as one of the prominent marine artists of his time. At a young age, Monamy moved to London, where he likely apprenticed with a sign painter. His artistic skills flourished during this period, influenced by Dutch marine painters such as Willem van de Velde the Younger...

French or Italian school of the 18th century Animated landscape with a ruin Oil on canvas 27 x 33 cm (34 x 40 cm with the frame) Signed and dated lower right "1772 / Contencin? / fec...

17th-century Flemish school Still life with flowers Oil on panel 33 x 25 cm In frame 50 x 42 cm The painting depicts a wonderful still life of flowers, where numerous colour...

La obra es de autor anónimo. El retablo va muy bien enmarcado con un marco neogótico del siglo xix en madera estofada y policromada. Medidas del retablo: 88 cm. altura x 56 cm. anc...

Guardian Angel Italian School, 17th century Oil painting on copper, framed Framed size: 12 x 10.5 inches Fine quality early Italian Old Master oil on copper panel, dating to the 17t...

Giulio Carpioni (Venice 1613 - Vicenza 1678) workshop of - Moses makes water flow from the rocks. 82 x 68 cm without frame, 97 x 83 cm with frame. Oil on canvas, in wooden frame (n...

Jacques Blanchard (Paris, 1600 – Paris, 1638) and workshop Thetis in Hephaestus' forge (Hephaestus gives Thetis the weapons he forged for Achilles) Oil on canvas applied to pan...

Italian painter (18th century) - Arcadian landscape with flock and shepherds. 56 x 70 cm without frame, 63.5 x 79 cm with frame. Antique oil painting on canvas, in a wooden frame (...

This superb British 18th century Old Master oil painting is attributed to circle of noted landscape artist Richard Wilson. Painted circa 1750 it is a stunning lake landscape with a r...

'Providenza' Italian School, 18th century ink and wash drawing on paper, framed within a light oak wood frame (behind glass) image size: 10.5 x 7 inches overall framed: 17 x 13 inche...

Gerard Soest (c. 1600-1681) Portrait of a girl, possibly Dorothy Bigg (née Wither) (1661-1717), c. 1674 Half-length, wearing natural pearl and gemstone jewellery ​ Oil on canvas In...

This superb large three quarter length British Old Master portrait in a landscape oil painting is attributed to circle of John Vanderbank the Younger. Painted circa 1738 the sitter is Mrs James Hoste of South Wootton and Sandringham, nee Hammond. She was the daughter of Anthony Hamond and Susan Walpole, daughter of Robert Walpole, and was sister to Robert, 1st Earl of Oxford. She married Major James Hoste of Sandringham, Norfolk, and they had two daughters. The sheen of her blue satin dress against her gold cloak is stunning. A really lovely 18th century portrait with excellent provenance. Inscribed with sitter details lower left. Provenance. By descent within the family of the sitter at West Acre High House, Norfolk; Cheffins, Cambridge, 'West Acre High House' sale, 24 November 2010, Lot 519; Wood Hall, Arkesden, Essex. Literature: 'Portraits in Norfolk Houses', Prince Duleep Singh, 1927, No. 36. Sitter's details on two labels verso. Condition. Oil on canvas, image size is 50 inches by 40 inches and in good condition. Frame. Housed in an ornate gilt frame, 58 inches by 48 inches framed and in good condition. John Vanderbank (1694-1739) was an English portraitist and book illustrator, who enjoyed a high reputation for a short while during the reign of King George...

Benvenuto Tisi, il Garofalo (Garofalo, Rovigo 1476 - Ferrara 1559) workshop/follower Madonna with Child and Saint Joseph Oil on canvas 125 x 90 cm - In frame 143 x 109 cm. I...

Roman painter (18th century) - Landscape with Wayfarers. 43.5 x 34.5 cm unframed, 58.5 x 49.5 cm with frame. Ancient oil painting on canvas, in a carved and gilded wooden frame (no...

Francesco Battaglioli (Modena c. 1710 - Venice post-1796) - Architectural Capriccio with Figures. 83.5 x 114.5 cm unframed, 98 x 130 cm with fra...

Giuseppe Zais (Forno di Canale 1709 - Treviso 1784) - Landscapes with Washerwomen. 41 x 56 cm unframed, 49.5 x 64.5 cm with frame. Oil on canvas, in a carved and gilded wooden fram...

Marzio Masturzo (Active in Naples and Rome in the second half of the 17th century) Attributable Battle between Christian and Turkish cavalry Oil on canvas 78 x 144 cm - 99 x ...

Portrait Of Lady Isobel Mackenzie, Countess of Seaforth (1636-1715), 17th Century Studio of John Michael Wright (1617-1694) Large 17th century portrait of Isobel Mackenzie, Countes...

Pierre Charles Trémolières (Cholet, 1703 - Paris, 1739) Allegory of Painting and Drawing Oil on canvas 86 x 112 cm In original lacquered frames 122 x 95 cm. Work accompanied...

Anonymous 15th Century Italian, Probably Milan area The Nativity of Christ Pigments, ink and gold leaf on vellum Unsigned as is always the case with illuminated manuscripts The Virgi...

The Angelic Visitation Dutch School, mid 17th century circle of Rembrandt (Dutch 1606-1669) oil on wooden panel, framed in faux tortoiseshell style frame. framed: 25 x 28.75 painting...

Venetian painter (18th century) - Turkish nobles with parrot and musician. 43.5 x 63.5 cm without frame, 50 x 70 cm with frame. Antique oil painting...

Agostino Carracci (1557-1602) Circle of Andromeda and the Sea Monster Oil on canvas 75 x 59 cm. - In frame 96 x 77 cm. The subject of the painting, derived from Ovid's Metamo...

Artist/ School: English School, circa 1740's Title: Portrait of a Lady, traditionally identified as 'Anne of Chesterfield'. Medium: oil painting on canvas, framed Size: painting: ...

The Artist and his Model French School, 18th century oil on canvas, framed Framed: 14 x 17 inches Board: 11 x 14 inches Provenance: private collection, France Condition: very good co...

The Knight is an original oil painting on canvas realized during the XVII century by an anonymous artist. Provenance: Pecci-Blunt collection. Good condition...

An early 17th-century Flemish School oil on copper showing the mythological contest between Apollo and Pan in which the mountain god, Tmolus, gives judgement for Apollo. Unsigned. Pa...

Classical Still Life of Fruit in Basket with other objects Italian artist, 18th century oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 24.5 x 33 inches provenance: private collection, UK condition:...

Portrait Of A Nude Male, 18th Century School of Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825) 18th Century French School portrait of a nude male, oil on paper laid to board. Excellent quality an...

Toilet of Venus Francesco Albani (Bologna 1578 - 1660) Follower of Oil on canvas 64 x 96 cm In fine gilded frame 83 x 121 cm. The painting on offer, depicting ‘Venus’ Toilet',...

French school of the second half of the 18th century Oil on canvas 46 x 38 cm (57 x 49 cm with the frame) Very beautiful frame in gilded wood from the Louix XVI period with decoratio...

Florentine painter, 16th-17th century Saint John the Baptist Oil on canvas 67 x 56 cm - In frame 98 x 83 cm In bringing out the sculptural figure of this young Saint John the...

We are pleased to offer a captivating portrait, most likely painted in the late 18th century, attributed to an artist within the circle of Christian Wilhelm Ernst Dietrich. This oil ...

Oil on canvas 20 x 37 ¼ inches; 50.8 x 94.6 cm Framed dimensions: 67.5 x 110.5 cm Not signed c.1744-1745 Collections: Possibly John Charles Middleton (1757-1793); Revd Frederick M...

Unidentified Bolognese Artist, 18th Century – "Baptism of Christ" Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 119 x 151 cm (unframed), 133 x 168 cm (framed) Provenance: Private collection No...

Jan Weenix Canvas Size: 32 x 26" (82 x 66cm) Outside Frame Size: 40 x 34" (102 x 86cm) This beautiful painting is unsigned but this is not unusual with Jan ...

This superb British Old Master marine oil painting is attributed to Peter Monamy. Painted circa 1730 it depicts Morning Gun - A morning gun is a gun fired at the first note of revei...

Circle of Thomas Hudson (1701-1779) British. 18th Century Bust Portrait of a Lady, Oil on Canvas, Inscribed on a label verso, canvas: 30" x 25" (76.2 x 63.5cm). frame: 30 x 25 in...

Italian painter (18th century) - Saint Monica in prayer. 56 x 32 cm. Antique oil painting on canvas, without frame (not signed). Condition report: Good state of conservation of th...

This lovely Dutch Old Master portrait oil painting is attributed to circle of Willem Wissing. Wissing settled in England and emerged as Peter Lely's most important pupil after his de...

17th Century Italian Religious Painting Credited to Giovanni Battista Salvi Virgin Mary Period: second half of the 17th century Technique: oil on copper A beautiful, important pain...

Monogrammed lower left: Johan Philip Korn (1728 - 1796), was a Swedish painter. A beautiful landscape, with a backwater in which carefree ducks swim, hunters and their dogs in passion, in the background you can see a city with a bell tower. Old masters have been depicting animals in their paintings since the Renaissance. In those days, hunting scenes were popular - there is always a share of emotional participation in them. Here it is necessary to understand that in previous centuries people looked at hunting as a means of obtaining food, therefore naturalism dominates in the painting of the old masters. Old oil painting on wooden panel, in a non-original frame of the 19th century. Size app.: 49 x 64 cm (roughly 19.3 x 25.2 in) and nice golden gesso frame ca 65.5 x 81.5 cm (roughly 25.8 x 32.1 in). Very Good condition, age wear, cracks on a wooden board, minor losses, retouches, cleared and conserved. Please study good resolution images for overall cosmetic condition. In person actual painting may appear darker or brighter than in our pictures, strictly depending on sufficient light in your environment. Weight of app. 6.4 kg is going to measure some 10 kg volume weight packed for shipment. Johan Philip Korn first began his career as a decorative painter. He was a student of artist Johan Sevenbom (1721-1784). After further studies he changed to landscape painting in the Rococo style of French artist François Boucher (1703–1770) and often after Dutch copper engravings. In 1759, Korn became master of the Stockholm...

A very fine portrait of a British military officer signed and dated Thomas Beach 1774 in the lower left. This oil on canvas is presented in a period gilt frame and is ready to hang. ...

Tavern Interior Dutch School, 17th century oil on metal, framed framed: 8 x 6.75 inches painting: 6 x 4.25 inches provenance: private collection condition: very good and sound condit...

Portrait of noblewoman, known as "the Little Princess of Longueville," attributed to Jean Ducayer (1595-1685). Oak plank, one board, not parqueted. Jean Ducayer, a court painter...

A masterful copy by an unknown artist, after the portrait of "Beatrice d'Este" by Leonardo Da Vinci also known as ‘Portrait of a Lady’ or ‘La Dama con la reticella di perle (The Lady With a Pearl Hairnet)’. The original work originally created in the 15th Century is currently on display in the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana Museum of Milan. Beatrice d'Este was the Duchess of Bari/Milan and was believed to be one of the most attractive princesses of the Renaissance. Her impeccable style won her many admirers throughout Italy and France, and she became a trendsetter of the highest order. This copy of the original painting, is an oil on canvas done in the 18th Century, and in this exquisite portrait, the artist has masterfully depicted the fine details with draped hair, pearls, royal dress, ornate headgear and sumptuous jewelry in front of a dark background. Once again, capturing the imagination with another enigmatic smile. It comes housed in an elegant period giltwood frame with ebonized trims and ready to be displayed with hanging wire on verso. Art measures 28 x 18 inches Frame measures 34.5 x 24.5 inches There is much debate and controversy over who actually painted the "Beatrice d'Este" was it Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), or Giovanni Ambrogio de Predis (1455–1508). So we may never know who executed the original portrait which hangs in the museum, but that need not deter from an appreciation of its singularity. Following the portraiture convention established by painters of the Quattrocentro, the artist has chosen to portray his sitter in profile. In doing so, he magnificently captures the essence of his sitter, a girl on the threshold of womanhood. Bedecked in the adornments—silk, velvet, pearls and embroidery (brocade) crafted of spun gold threads—afforded her by birthright and marriage, Beatrice looks forward in noble serenity. And at the same time her profile with its upturned nose and slight smile betrays an innocence that must have been the basis of the oft-repeated epithet: la più zentil donna in Italia” (“the sweetest lady in Italy”). It is believed the lady is Beatrice d'Este (1475-1497), duchess of Bari and later of Milan, the wife of Ludovico Sforza (known as "il Moro"). One of the most beautiful princesses of the Italian Renaissance, she was known for her good taste in fashion. Beatrice was a member of the Este-Sforza family, which joined by marriage two of the oldest reigning and already powerful houses in Italy. The house of Este, which held court in Ferrara, traced its lineage to the 11th century Dukes of Saxony and Bavaria. Beatriceʼs father, Ercole I ruled the Ferrara commune for 34 years, catapulting the city-state (and the Estes with it) to an unmatched level of economic prosperity and cultural prominence. The family was renowned for its love of letters and patronage of the arts. The first time Leonardo da Vinci’s name resounded in the Ambrosiana, it was through the pen of its founder, Cardinal Federico Borromeo, who attributed this little panel to the great Master, describing it as “A portrait of a Duchess of Milan, by the hand of Leonardo”. Following the Cardinal’s statement, the portrait was for long assumed to depict Beatrice d’Este, the wife of Ludovico il Moro. However, scholars have recently been more cautious and vague in their statements, with regard to both the artist (anonymous Lombard or Emilian...

This exquisite early 19th-century English portrait of a gun dog or foxhound by Thomas Weaver is a masterpiece of sporting art that offers both historical...

Fascinating scene of battle between cavalries with the typical broad and concise brush stroke by Graziani, who is able to create brilliant points of colour. This composition is very ...

Neapolitan Master (17th-18th century) - Sketch for the Martyrdom of Saint Agatha. 32 x 23.5 cm unframed, 42 x 32 cm including wooden support. Oil on canvas, unframed (not signed). ...

Heinrich Vogtherr, alias Heinricus Satrapitanus, alias "The Master H.S with the Cross" (attributed to), Adoration of the Magi, 1518, oil on wood panel painted on both sides, 110 x 82...

Madonna and Child Workshop of Andrea del Sarto, pseudonym of Andrea d'Agnolo di Francesco (Florence 1486 - 1530) Attributable to Jacopo di Giovanni di Francesco, known as Jacone (...

A superb British Old Master oil painting which is attributed to circle of William Hogarth and was painted circa 1760. This fine oil painting is in ...

Angelo Solimena (Canale di Serino 1629 - Barra, 1716) Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes Oil on canvas 60 x 102 cm Framed 76 x 116 cm Work accompanied by an expert repo...

Jan Both (attributed) Utrecht 1610/18 - 1652 Southern Landscape with Bridge and Shepherds Oil on canvas/doubled Signed "Both fec." in the center at the bottom Size: approx. 72 x 86...

French Rococo painter (18th century) - Gallant scene in a landscape. 63.5 x 76 cm without frame, 91 x 102.5 cm with frame. Antique oil painting on canvas, in a carved and gilded wo...

Portrait of a Lady in an White Silk Dress & Red Drapery Signed and Dated 1739 John Vanderbank (1694–1739) This is an exceptional, rare, and highly desirable late work by John Vander...

The splendour of the tragic sea Francesco Guardi and maritime painting in Venetian art No Venetian painter was a stranger to the sea. After all, Venice was not only one of the most prominent ports of the Mediterranean, but indeed a city literally submerged in the ocean from time to time. Curiously however, the famous Venetian school of painting showed little interest in maritime motifs, favouring scenes from the iconic architecture of the city rather than seascapes. That is why this painting is a particularly interesting window into not only the painter Francesco Guardi himself – but to the significance of the element of water in art history, in absence as well as in the centre of attention. Whether it be calm, sunny days with stunning views of the palaces alongside the canals of Venice or – more rarely – stormy shipwrecking tragedies at sea, water as a unifying element is integral to the works of painter Francesco Guardi (1712–1793). During his lifetime, Venetian art saw many of its greatest triumphs with names like Tiepolo or Canaletto gaining international recognition and firmly establishing Venice as one of the most vibrant artistic communities of Europe. While the city itself already in the 18th century was something of an early tourist spot where aristocrats and high society visited on their grand tour or travels, the artists too contributed to the fame and their work spread the image of Venice as the city of romance and leisure to an international audience, many of whom could never visit in person. Still today, the iconic image of Venice with its whimsical array of palaces, churches and other historic buildings is much influenced by these artists, many of whom have stood the test of time like very well and remain some of the most beloved in all of art history. It was not primarily subtility, intellectual meanings or moral ideals that the Venetian art tried to capture; instead it was the sheer vibrancy of life and the fast-paced city with crumbling palaces and festive people that made this atmosphere so special. Of course, Venice could count painters in most genres among its residents, from portraiture to religious motifs, history painting and much else. Still, it is the Vedutas and views of the city that seems to have etched itself into our memory more than anything else, not least in the tradition of Canaletto who was perhaps the undisputed master of all Venetian painters. Born into his profession, Francesco lived and breathed painting all his life. His father, the painter Domenico Guardi (1678–1716) died when Francesco was just a small child, yet both he and his brothers Niccolò and Gian Antonio continued in their fathers’ footsteps. The Guardi family belonged to the nobility and originated from the mountainous area of Trentino, not far from the Alps. The brothers worked together on more challenging commissions and supported each other in the manner typical of family workshops or networks of artists. Their sister Maria Cecilia married no other than the artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo himself, linking the family to the most renowned Venetian name of the time. During almost a decade, Guardi worked in the studio of Michele Giovanni Marieschi, sometimes simply known as Michiel, a painted similar in both style and motif. Canaletto is, however, the artist Guardi is most often compared to since they shared a mutual fascination for depicting the architecture and cityscape of Venice. During the course of his career, Guardi tried his hand in many different genres. He was as swift in painting landscapes, Vedutas of Venice, sacred motifs, interiors and architectural compositions as he was in a number of other motifs. His style is typical of the Venetian school but also distinct and personal once we look a little closer. There is an absolute certainty in the composition, the choice of which sometimes feels like that of a carefully calculated photograph – yet it is also very painterly, in the best sense of the word: fluid, bold, sensitive and full of character. The brushwork is rapid, intense, seemingly careless and extraordinarily minute at the same time; fresh and planned in a very enjoyable mixture. His interiors often capture the breath-taking spacious glamour of the palaces and all their exquisite decor. He usually constructed the motif through remarkably simple, almost spontaneous yet intuitively precise strokes and shapes. The result was a festive, high-spirited atmospheric quality, far away from the sterile and exact likeness that other painters fell victim to when trying to copy Canaletto. The painting here has nothing of the city of Venice in it. On the contrary, we seem to be transported far away into the solitary ocean, with no architecture, nothing to hold on to – only the roaring sea and the dangerous cliffs upon which the ships are just moments away from being crushed upon. It is a maritime composition evoking both Flemish and Italian precursors, in the proud tradition of maritime painting that for centuries formed a crucial part of our visual culture. This genre of painting is today curiously overlooked, compared to how esteemed and meaningful it was when our relationship to the sea was far more natural than it is today. When both people and goods travelled by water, and many nations and cities – Venice among them – depended entirely on sea fare, the existential connection to the ocean was much more natural and integrated into the imagination. The schools and traditions of maritime art are as manifold as there are countries connected to the sea, and all reflect the need to process the dangers and wonders of the ocean. It could symbolize opportunity, the exciting prospects of a new countries and adventures, prospering trade, beautiful scenery as well as war and tragedy, loss of life, danger and doom. To say that water is ambivalent in nature is an understatement, and these many layers were something that artists explored in the most wondrous ways. Perhaps it takes a bit more time for the modern eye to identify the different nuances and qualities of historic maritime paintings, they may on first impression seem hard to differentiate from each other. But when allowing these motifs to unfold and tell stories of the sea in both fiction and reality – or somewhere in between – we are awarded with an understanding of how the oceans truly built our world. In Guardi’s interpretation, we see an almost theatrically arranged shipwrecking scene. No less than five ships are depicted right in the moment of utter disaster. Caught in a violent storm, the waves have driven them to a shore of sharp cliffs and if not swallowed by the waves, crushing against the cliffs seems to be the only outcome. The large wooden ships are impressively decorated with elaborate sculpture, and in fact relics already during Guardi’s lifetime. They are in fact typical of Dutch and Flemish 17th century ships, giving us a clue to where he got the inspiration from. Guardi must have seen examples of Flemish maritime art, that made him curious about these particular motifs. One is reminded of Flemish painters like Willem van de Velde and Ludolf Backhuysen, and this very painting has indeed been mistakenly attributed to Matthieu van Plattenberg...

Italian painter (18th-19th century) - Female nude. 44 x 54 cm unframed, 54 x 64 cm with frame. Ancient oil painting on canvas mounted on a panel, in a carved and gilded wooden fram...