A capriccio of Roman ruins with a herder and other figures; and A capriccio of Roman ruins with an elegant figure and other figures

We are grateful to Dr. David Marshall who, on the basis of transparencies, connects the present unpublished works to a small group that he attributes to Ascanio Luciano as nos. AL34-45 in his Viviano and Niccolò Codazzi and the Baroque Architectural Fantasy (Rome, 1993). As he remarks (loc. cit.), these pictures, which are very close stylistically to Viviano Codazzi and Spadaro but distinguishable by the different imagery and handling, can be attributed to Luciano by comparison with a number of signed works by the artist including a painting of a Palace Courtyard (his no. AL49; whereabouts unknown). Marshall concludes that 'a strong case can be made for this hand being the young Ascanio Luciano'. He dates them to the 1650s or 60s, after Codazzi's departure for Rome in 1647.