09/10/2001
by Alex Kearney

After two centuries of critical neglect, Marcantonio Franceschini (1648-1729) has gained a reputation as the leading Bolognese painter of his era. His pedigree is first rate: the favourite student, then assistant of Carlo Cignani (1628-1719) who, in turn, was the star pupil of Francesco Albani, one of Annibale Carracci's most admired followers. While Franceschini made his big debut as a fresco painter, the auction houses have trained their eyes on his paintings and drawings.

On the 11th of July 2001, Franceschini's Liberality; and Maternal Charity; (oil on copper, 42.5 x 57.2 cm, a pair) made a remarkable hammer price of $ 324,720 (€ 351,860) against an estimate of $ 221,390-368,950 (€ 240,000-400,000) at Bonhams, London. Some 18 months before this, on the 28^th of January 2000, his Ariadne on the island of Naxos, Theseus at Sea (oil on copper, 45.7 x 62.9 cm) more than trebbled its estimate when it went for $ 167,500 (€ 181,510) at Sotheby's, New York. In both cases the medium was oil on copper; loved by collectors for its smooth finish and lustrous colours. There is much else to recommend Franceschini; his suave classicism, luminous flesh tones and pure colours have a seductive appeal. Many of his paintings are elegant pastorals, which are especially sought-after on the art market. His Armida discovers the sleeping Rinaldo; Erminia and the Shepherds; (oil on canvas, 94.8 x 120 cm, a pair) went for £ $ 126,910 (€ 137,530) against an estimate of $ 88,530-118,040 (€ 95,950-127,940) at Sotheby's, London on the 6^th of July 2000.

The survival of his personal accounts give details of commissions from 1684, thus helping to shore-up any doubts about the authenticity of recognised works. That is not to say that all his works are guaranteed to sell well however, with there being a large number of Franceschini copyists about on the market. Furthermore a watchful eye should be kept out for paintings which have been re-offered for sale after being unsold. Moses and the Daughters of Jethro (oil on canvas, 94 x 125.7 cm), co-produced with Franceschini's highly rated assistant Luigi Quaini (1643-1717) and carrying an estimate of $ 50,000-70,000 (€ 54,200-75,870), was unsold at Christie's, New York on the 26^th of January 2001. The same painting was then put up for auction by Christie's in New York on the 3rd of October, 2001, this time with a reduced estimate of $ 30,000-50,000 (€ 32,520-54,200). Despite a strong sale overall, this lot failed to attract interest with Christie's appearing too eager to sell. Similarly Sotheby's, New York saw The Triumph of Venus (oil on canvas, 90.5 x 117.5 cm), go unsold on the 28^th of January, 2000 against an estimate of $ 200,000-300,000 (€ 216,820-325,240). The estimate was then subsequently cut to $ 140,000-180,000 (€ 151,780-195,150) for an auction on the 23^rd of May this year, when second time round it sold for $ 137,750 (€ 149,350).

From January 1999 to July 2001, over a third of the non-affirmed Franceschini's on the market have gone unsold at auction. The appeal of these works is mainly decorative. Typical prices for the generic "circle of Franceschini" works range from $ 8,850-11,800 (€ 9,600-12,790) such as Putti disporting in a landscape (oil on copper, 21 x 21 cm) seen at Christie's, London on the 17th of December, 1999 or as low as $ 2,950-4,430 (€ 3,200-4,800) for Saint John the Baptist preaching to the Multitude (oil on canvas, 39.3 x 49.2 cm) which sold below its quote for $ 1,360 (€ 1,470) at Christie's, South Kensington, London on the 31st of October 2000. On occasion a smaller "circle of" work can command a better price than a larger one. A "Circle of Franceschini" entitled Bacchanal (oil on canvas, 63.5 x 76.2 cm) fetched $ 13,580 (€ 14,730) comfortably topping its estimate of $ 5,900-8,860 (€ 6,400-9,610) at Christie's, South Kensington in London on the 14th of April, 1999. The next day a confirmed Franceschini entitled Penitent Magdalene with an angel (oil on canvas, 119.0 x 147.0 cm) only managed to sell for $ 10,180 (€ 11,050) within its estimate, at Sotheby's, London. The disparity may be due to the subject matter of these two works: a festive Bacchanal scene might look better on your wall than a Penitent Magdalen.

If you're determined to get a real Franceschini at low estimates, keep a watch out for drawings. Pen, ink and wash studies are the most expensive with an Ecstasy of Mary Magdalene (16.6 x 25.3 cm) smashing its estimate of $ 6,000-8,000 (€ 6,510-8,680) to make $ 23,500 (€ 25,500) at Christie's, New York.