Venetian School Artist, Bucolic Landscape, 1770, Oil on Canvas

Venetian school of the second half of the 18th century. Oil painting on canvas depicting an Arcadian landscape of pastoral genre. This type of pictorial representation established itself in the 18th century, alongside the view and the architectural capriccio, inspired by the rules of the Arcadian Academy. The new rules of Arcadia imposed clear and appropriate manners, playful rhythm and elegant form. These regulations dominated Italian pictorial culture from the early 18th century, known as the Arcadian Rococo. The painting depicts in the foreground, on the left, a couple of lovers sitting on a rock. In front of them a small dog runs in the meadow, while on the right some cows graze and drink from a body of water. Behind them, in the background, a flock of sheep and a wooden hut-like building with straw roofs are depicted. The landscape described, at times wooded, moves away towards the horizon, marked by some rocky reliefs. Other figures of shepherds and wayfarers stroll in the distance, animating the composition. Stylistically, this painting presents similarities with 18th-century Venetian painting. In Venice, the greatest representatives of the Arcadian landscape were the Tuscan Francesco Zuccarelli (1702 - 1788) and his pupil Giuseppe Zais (1709 - 1784). Many painters followed the great masters, taking inspiration from their compositions to satisfy the vast demand for commissions. The author of this painting must be sought among these artists, a follower of the styles of Zuccarelli and Zais and active in the second half of the 18th century. 20th-century frame in carved and gilded wood, with some signs of aging. Artwork already restored with relining, replacement of the frame and repainting in small spots. Overall in excellent condition. Sight size H 73 x W 98 cm.