Lot 3: Andrea Semino (Genoa circa 1525-1594)

Andrea Semino (Genoa circa 1525-1594)
A battle between cavalry and infantry (recto); A standing female figure, heavily draped, holding a banner (verso)
with inscription 'W.R./Veronese Paolo/1582+1648/A. veron fe' (verso)
black chalk, pen and brown ink, brown wash, heightened with white on blue paper, the recto squared in black chalk
9¾ x 16 in. (249 x 407 mm.)

H.W. Campe (L. 1391).
With Arthur Ackermann, Chicago, where acquired by a forebear of the present owner (as by Sante Peranda).

Despite the former attribution to the Venetian artist Sante Peranda (Venice 1566-1638) and an inscription 'Veronese', this drawing is very close in style to those of the Genoese artist and follower of Perino del Vaga, Andrea Semino. Semino came from a family of artists, was trained by his father, Antonio (1485?-1554) and often collaborated with his elder brother, Ottavio (1520?-1604). He had many commissions in churches and palaces in Genoa and Milan.
Although not connected to any known painted composition, the present drawing is very close to one in the Louvre representing an Attack on a military camp which is related to Andrea's fresco in the Palazzo Lomellino in Genoa (inv. 9563; Le dessin à Gênes du XVIe au XVIIIe siècle, exhib. cat., Paris, Musée du Louvre, 1985, no. 9). It is executed in the same medium, squared in black chalk and of nearly the same dimensions (250m x 473 mm.). Another comparable example is Mars (or Alexander?) distributing the victor's wreaths in the Art Institute of Chicago (inv. 1922.2293; S. McCullagh and L. Giles, Italian Drawings before 1600 in the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, 1997, no. 290).