Egidio Riva (1866-1946) - Natura morta con sifone, bicchiere e limoni

EGIDIO RIVA (1866–1946) “Still life with siphon, glass and lemons” Work from 1939 Technique: oil on canvas Canvas measurements: 51 × 41 cm Measurements with frame: 76 × 66 cm Signature and date: signed and dated at the bottom right, in red: “Egidio Riva 39” Subject: still life Description of the work The composition presents a still life of intimate character, built around a small group of everyday objects arranged on a surface: a goblet, a teaspoon, a white napkin, several whole and cut lemons and, in the background, a characteristic blue glass siphon for soda water. It is precisely the siphon that constitutes the main chromatic focal point of the composition. The deep, transparent blue of the glass emerges against the brownish-gray background and dialogues with the bright yellow of the lemons. The glass, instead, is constructed almost exclusively through reflections and glazes, with a synthetic painting that suggests transparency without resorting to meticulous description. Particularly successful is the contrast between blue, yellow and white: the deep blue of the bottle, the acidic yellow of the citrus fruits and the warm white of the napkin determine the color balance of the entire work. stylistic analysis The painting shows a painting fully rooted in the modern era. The objects are solidly identified but not depicted according to photographic naturalism: Riva favors the synthesis of forms, tonal relationships and painting matter. The brushwork remains clearly perceptible. In the lemons, especially in close-up photographs, there are bolder transitions and a construction through short overlays of color; in the siphon, the painting matter is used to render the variations in transparency of the blue glass. Also interesting is the spatial arrangement. The background is deliberately bare and divided into vertical bands of brownish, grayish and greenish tones. This essentiality concentrates attention entirely on the objects and gives the scene a quiet and intimate character, typical of a certain Italian still-life tradition between the two wars. The close cropping, the absence of decorative elements and the everyday nature of the objects confer the work with an almost domestic immediacy. Signature and dating In the lower right corner there is a signature executed in red pigment, clearly relating to the painting surface: “Egidio Riva 39” The date 39 allows us to place the execution precisely in 1939, thus in the mature phase of the artist’s activity. The signature features a strongly cursive and personalized handwriting, with the large central R particularly evident. Support and technique The work is executed in oil on canvas mounted on a wooden frame. Photos of the back show an old support with natural oxidation and browning of the canvas. There are also on the back some annotations and traces of previous interventions or adjustments. On the upper crossbar of the frame is the inscription “CADÀ-623” (photographic reading), presumably referring to a previous inventory or collection numbering; this indication should, however, be interpreted only in the presence of further documents. Frame The painting is presented within a substantial gilded carved wooden frame, internally completed by a wide passe-partout/dark green surround and by a thin surrounding gilded wooden edge around the canvas. At the center of the lower part there is a metallic plaque with the indication: EGIDIO RIVA 1866 – 1946 The framing gives the work a particularly elegant presentation and appears consistent with a historically situated collecting arrangement, although from a single photograph I would not necessarily attribute the entire setup to 1939. Condition report From analysis the work appears in overall fair conservative condition, considering the age. The surface shows widespread craquelure, more evident in areas with thicker paint, particularly in the lemons, the siphon and some portions of the background. There are also slight surface inconsistencies, deposits and a varnish that seems to have undergone natural aging and opacification. On the back of the canvas there are clearly visible traces and halos, as well as areas that could be attributable to previous conservation interventions or to the natural passage of materials through the support. The frame shows normal signs of use, abrasions and small losses compatible with age. *** Photographic note The photographs of the work were taken with professional studio lighting and spotlights to allow better legibility of the composition, details and painting material. This lighting may cause small variations in color perception and brightness compared with viewing the work directly. The photographs are for illustrative and documentary purposes only. The frame is provided free of charge with the work and should be considered an accessory element, not included in the painting’s economic valuation. Given the natural fragility of antique gilded frames, any damage, detachment, breakage or loss of parts of the frame that occur during transport or shipping cannot be the subject of reimbursement, indemnity or dispute regarding the value of the work. The packaging will nevertheless be prepared with the utmost care to ensure, as far as possible, safe transport. insured shipping Attributive Expertise Report *** For historical interest reasons the work cannot be shipped outside the European Community / insured shipment in a wooden case

Stima:€500

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