Scuola italiana (XV-XVI) - Animalier (Zoomorfia) - NO RESERVE

Ancient firwood table from the 15th - 16th century (1450/1500) painted in different/successive periods - Subject: “Animalier (zoomorphia)” - Italian school, Lombard sphere - Possible presence of original wooden nails from the 15th Century / or signs of nails - egg tempera on panel Ceiling decorative panel with a peacock Italian manufacture, Painting technique on wooden panel Measurements: 63 x 30 cm x 4 cm Description of the work: Interesting polychrome wooden panel, presumably belonging to an ancient decorated ceiling, depicting two fantastic winged creatures facing each other in a vivid combat scene. The composition features an ochre-colored animal with leonine features and broad wings, opposed to a light-colored creature, also winged, with characteristics attributable to the repertoire of griffins and fantastical beasts. The figures rise against a green-blue background, bounded by a geometric frame painted to imitate a wooden moulding. The work testifies to the taste for fantastic and decorative figures diffused in the ornamentation of noble interiors in 15th-century Italy and the Renaissance. - These decorative panels (formelle) are a rare example of Renaissance ceilings preserved over time, often completed by readable portions of wall friezes. The panels were mounted with interlocking joints in the ceilings of 15th-century halls of noble palaces and historic residences. These panels, with their recovered decorations, contribute to uncovering the deeper part of a rare Italian craftsmanship. Formelle of this type are exhibited at the Civic Museum Ala Ponzone of Cremona and at the Civic Museum of Crema. *** Note on conservation state: The work has undergone conservation and painting interventions carried out in different eras, evidence of its material history and the various maintenance campaigns over time. Repaintings, color retouches, and painting integrations are detectable, including some relatively recent ones, made for both conservation purposes and the restoration of the unitary aesthetic and stylistic integrity of the whole. Such interventions must therefore be considered part of the complex conservation history of the panel, which nevertheless retains legible its iconographic and decorative layout. *** The panel shows evident signs of aging and widespread material degradation, compatible with long exposure to critical environmental conditions. It shows: Wooden support: extensive erosion and loss of material, especially along the edges and on the back. Xylophagous attack: numerous spalling holes and galleries visible, attributable to past xylophagous insect activity. Painted surface: widespread abrasions, color gaps, wear, and superficial alterations. Preparatory layer: presence of cracks, detachments, and localized losses. Perimeter edges: significant erosion and irregularity of the wood, with possible structural fragility. Patina: general aging of the surface, with deposits and color alterations. Artistic merit: Good craftsmanship with apotropaic-symbolic iconography interest Historical importance: Testament to Renaissance/Gothic late architectural ornamentation, worthy of conservation Painting technique: Polychrome decoration: Protein-based tempera/mineral pigments and natural earths on a chalk ground or light priming Surface finish: Possible traces of ancient varnish or oil-resin protective layer (oxidized over time) Main decorative technique: Painting with relief details highlighted by contrasting color blocks The panel comes from a Lombard/Emilian ceiling. Medieval/Gothic-type painting with conservative restorations. Over the centuries the panel has undergone repaintings and restorations for conservation purposes. Being an antique object it presents signs of time, flaws, and gaps that make it a fundamental and unique feature. *** Note on photography: The images were taken, in part, with studio artificial lighting to enhance and render details more legible. The perceived color in person may differ slightly, with a tablet potentially darker or characterized by slight tonal variations compared to what is visible in the photographs. With sales documentation and legitimate provenance Insured shipping - secure packaging

Estimate:£507.69

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