Francesco Citterio - Piazza Castello

Torino – Piazza Castello Carlo Bossoli (drawing) – Francesco Citterio (engraving), ca. 1855 Original aquatint engraving, finely hand-wrought coloring at the time, printed in Turin around 1855 by Francesco Citterio from a drawing by Carlo Bossoli (Lugano 1815 – Turin 1884). The large plate (mm 990 x 364 approx., margins included) depicts Piazza Castello seen from an elevated position, with a wide horizontal cut of notable scenic effect. The scene is characterized by a suggestive afternoon light, built up with delicate tonal gradations in pink, brownish and bluish shades, which confer depth and harmony to the whole. In the foreground is depicted Palazzo Madama, shown in three-quarters; in the background appears the facade of Palazzo Reale. On the left successive palaces facing the square, while at the center numerous human figures and carriages animate the composition, a lively testimony to nineteenth-century city life. Along the lower margin there is the manuscript title “Torino” in a pale red. As indicated in Ada Peyrot’s bibliography, Bossoli’s view of Piazza Castello is known in two variants. The present specimen lacks the monument of the Royal Sardinian Army, inaugurated in 1859 in front of Palazzo Madama; this element allows dating the print to around 1855. Citterio demonstrates notable painting ability, particularly in the rendering of the landscape’s luminosity, achieved through refined tonal gradations that create an effective contrast with the blue of the sky and the architectural colors of the square. Condition Good state of preservation of paper and color, with refined contemporaneous coloring well preserved. A slight raggedness of the lower edge of the paper is noted. Images form part of the description. The work is housed in a 20th-century gilded frame (frame defects and small losses are the frame’s responsibility). The images are to be considered an integral part of the description. Dimensions with frame: 105 cm x 43 cm x 4 approx. Weight with frame: approx. 10 kg (not weighed on a scale). Shipping Professional packing and insured shipment

Estimate:£932.52

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