RC
Cesare Gennari (Cento 1637-Bologna 1688)
Chronos, Venus, Mars, and Cupid
Black, red, and white chalks, brush and light-brown wash on paper
225x220mm
Inscribed: "Canuti"
Watermark: hand with clover
Provenance:
.Mia N. Weiner Gallery, New York
.Spencer A. Samuels Gallery, New York
.sale Christie’s, New York, 11/Jan/1994, lot 218, (as attributed to Canuti)
.Simpson’s Galleries, Houston
Exhibitions:
Mia N. Weiner, Exhibition of old master drawings, New York, 9-30/Jan/1985, no.35.
Prof. Renato Roli suggested an attribution to Cesare Gennari1, Guercino’s nephew and follower. The allegorical theme of Love vanquished by Time was represented by Guercino and the Gennaris several times2. The drawing relates to Guercino’s painting “Venus, Mars, Cupid and Chronos”, now in the Dunham Massey (Stamford collection, The National Trust, Altrincham)2, also copied by the Gennaris2,3 (Fig.1). This sheet is preparatory for such paintings or for an unknown slightly different version of the subject.
1 Mia N. Weiner, Exhibition of old master drawings, New York, 9-30/Jan/1985, no.35.
2 David M. Stone, Guercino, Firenze, 1991, p.126, no.103.
3 Sale Cambi, Genova, 21/Oct/2008, lot 781.
