Object Description
Large antique Italian figurative oil painting of Venetian merchants by Paoletti
Italian, Late 19th Century
Canvas: Height 57cm, width 82cm, depth 2cm
Frame: Height 76cm, width 99cm, depth 7cm
This impressive oil painting by Antonio Paoletti (Italian, 1834–1912) offers a vivid glimpse into everyday life in 19th-century Venice. Paoletti, a native Venetian and alumnus of the Accademia di Belle Arti, became renowned for his genre scenes, skilfully combining figure painting with cityscape and landscape. His works, often portraying children, street vendors, and working families, capture the charm and rhythm of Venetian life with both technical precision and narrative warmth. Celebrated during his lifetime, Paoletti’s paintings appealed to collectors across Italy and beyond, and continue to be admired for their expressive detail and evocative storytelling.
In this scene, a small group of young Venetian vendors carries baskets brimming with fresh fish and market goods along the lagoon’s edge. A girl balances a large earthenware jug, while a boy and another girl manage woven baskets laden with oysters and fish, reflecting the cooperative spirit and early responsibilities of working-family life. The calm waters, dotted with gondolas and small boats, underscore Venice’s close relationship with commerce and the sea, while the distant skyline and soft, luminous light firmly situate the composition within the Venetian lagoon. Paoletti’s careful handling of movement, proportion, and atmosphere conveys both purpose and quiet vitality.
Housed in an ornate carved giltwood frame, the painting is signed lower left ‘Antonio Paoletti fu Giovi / Venezia’ with an old label on the reverse providing further biographical information about the artist.
Rendered with exceptional charm and meticulous detail, this work exemplifies Paoletti’s mature style.