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Octavianus Monfort

Still Life with Fruit and Chestnuts on a Marble Ledge in Original Frame

Origin

Italy

Period

Pre 18th Century

Materials

Tempera on parchment

Dimensions

W.	10.25 in;	H.	6.25 in;
W.	26.04 cm;	H.	15.88 cm;

Creation Date

Second half of the 17th century

Description

Size with frame: 9 ½” high x 13 ½” wide (24 x 34.3 cm.)

In 1646, Octavianus Monfort is first documented in Turin as having “studied miniatures and…profited by such” and as having received, from Christine of France, the widow of Victor Amadeus of Savoy, “a pension of livre mille duecento d’argento da soldi 20 l’una” (see F. Moretti and L. Cifani, Arte e artisti nel Piemonte del ‘600: Nuove scoperte e nuovi orientamenti, Cavallemmaggiore, 1990, pp. 16546). His only dated works are from the last decade of the seventeenth century, and, therefore, it is probable that the artist was active throughout the second half of the century. As it has always been known, Monfort’s art was strongly influenced by the Turinese work of Giovanna Garzoni, who was actively employed by the Savoy court from 1632 – 1637.
The success of Monfort and the passion with which his works were collected in his own lifetime is witnessed by the large number of followers, who continued to create the same typologies well into the next century.

Styles / Movements

Old Master, Other

Dealer Reference Number

WOP 17-85

Incollect Reference Number

152124