Bertolami Fine Art - Piazza Lovatelli 1, 00186 Roma
Pre-Asta 371 - DIPINTI ANTICHI DAL XIV AL XIX SECOLO 371 - DIPINTI ANTICHI DAL XIV AL XIX SECOLO
giovedì 5 marzo 2026 ore 15:00 (UTC +01:00)
Girolamo Brusaferro (Venezia 1684 - 1760)
Girolamo Brusaferro
(Venezia 1684 - 1760)
The banishment of Hagar and Ishmael Oil on canvas cm. 132x97. Framed The attribution was confirmed by Anna Pietropolli on the basis of professional photographs.
The work is recorded in the Fototeca Zeri archive (no. 67483) as by an anonymous Venetian artist, or alternatively attributed to Gaspare Diziani or Sebastiano Ricci. On the reverse of photograph no. 128097, an autograph pencil note by Federico Zeri reads: “20 Feb. 1970, from Roy Fisher as Sebastiano Ricci”.
The painting depicts the biblical episode of the Expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael, focusing on the moment of farewell. The figures are clearly articulated through expressive gestures and glances. As noted by Federico Zeri, the work shows a close affinity with Sebastiano Ricci— to whom it was long attributed — and, to a lesser extent, with Gaspare Diziani. Comparisons within Brusaferro’s oeuvre may be drawn with the canvases in the church of Santo Spirito in Split and with the Madonna col Bambino in trono e santi in the parish church of Stabello (Bergamo). Sotheby's sale, London, 3 July 1963, lot 106 (as Sebastiano Ricci); Roy Fisher Collection, New York, 1970 (as Sebastiano Ricci); private Collection, Pennsylvania, USA (as Sebastianon Ricci); private collection, Rome.