A Italian gilt-bronze and Sicilian Jasper Mounted Frame, Roman or Neapolitan, first half 18th century. Photo courtesy Sotheby's
the arched cresting with a sunburst motif above a later oval mirror plate within a lunette cast border surmounted by an eagle amongst clouds with foliate trails, with a jasper ground within an engraved leaf cast border, the apron cast with a stylised scallopshell flanked by c-scrolls and sprays of palm leaves above a female mask with plaits terminating in a tassel and scallopshell with a scrolled cartouche; the back with handwritten label in ink ` Sig Princip Cellamare' and the printed inv. no 223; originally a Devotional piece 66cm. high, 38cm. wide, 6cm. deep; 2ft. 2in., 1ft. 3in., 2½in. Estimate 70,000-100,000 GBP
PROVENANCE: Formerly in the Collections of Principi Cellamare, Naples
Comparative Literature: Massimo Pisani, Palazzo Cellamare, cinque secoli di civiltà napoletana, Electa Naples, 2003.
A related design for a frame by G. Giardini (1646-1721) which is conceived in a similar spirit with scrolls, scallopshells and oak leaves as on the present frame is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, reproduced here in fig. 1.
The Cellamare Family:
Nicolò (1587-1681), first prince of Cellamare was originally from Genoa and then went to Naples. His son Domenico (1637-1724), second prince of Cellamare and second Duke of Giovinazzo had a son called Antonio (1657-1733), who was born in Naples and brought up in the Court of Spain where his father was in attendance. Domenico, has been Treasurer during the reign of the Spanish in Naples and the Spanish ambassador to the Duke of Savoy and French and Portuguese Kings. Antonio acquired the palace in 1696 for 18,000 ducats and immediately set about ambitious building works by the architect Antonio Picchiatti (1617-1694) which resulted in the grandiose building that exists today.
In May 1715, Antonio was summoned to Paris to be the ambassador for the Spanish crown at exactly the same time when the question of the succession of Louis XIV arose.The Duke of Anjou, grandson of Louis XIV, became King of Spain and wanted to resieze power as Louis XIV had declared in his will. As ambassador of Spain, Antonio del Giudice Cellamare helped him and organised a plan which failed. He had three children with Anna Camilla Borghese: Angelo was born in 1694 and died in the same year, Nicola (1696-1725), who did not have any children and Costanza (1697-1770) who married Francesco Caracciolo, Prince of Villa S. Maria in 1722.
Sotheby's. Treasures, Princely Taste. London | 03 juil. 2013 - www.sothebys.com