A fine oil on board depicting two ceramic horses, attributed to Virgilio Costantini (1882-1924). 'VC' monogram to the lower left (the artist has been known to monogram works) and 'Virgilio Costantini' can be found written verso in pencil.
Born in Cefalu, Sicily in 1882, Virgilio Constantini began his studies in Venice where he was exposed to the works of Paul Besnard, J.S. Sargent and Lucien Simon. Under the influence of these artists, he would later inherit their fluid brushwork and dynamic palette.
Constantini moved to Paris in 1906 and the most successful period of Constantini's career shortly followed. After the success of Le Cerisier, which drew international praise, he was made an Associate member of the Societé Nationale des Beaux Arts. The artist had become interested in the freshness and transparent effects of watercolors and this sensitivity to tone and shading is translated to his oils, the layers of paint, some muted and pale, others more vibrant applied to achieve a certain tonal effect. This effect is certainly evident in this work with the careful layering highlighting the tones of the ceramic horses' glaze.
This work is an unusual composition and very arresting, with vibrant colours and texture making the horses appear almost three dimensional upon the canvas. The background is neutral with a single piece of yellow patterned fabric, possibly a curtain or blanket, falling between the pair of horses and settling to the right hand side in a mass of carefully depicted creases which imply a heaviness to the material.
The whole is housed in a period carved gilt wood frame which suits the work perfectly with the brown and gold detail reflecting the neutral brown background with yellow fabric.
Artist name, a series of numbers and gallery sticker verso for 'Baron Art' of Holt, Norfolk (trading 1993-c.2016) who specialised in art and ceramics of the art deco period.
A really outstanding work.
Dimensions (framed)
Height: 51cm
Width: 43.5cm
Depth: 4cm
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