An allegory of marriage

Faustino Bocchi is believed to have been a pupil of Angelo Everardi, called Fiamminghino, which would account for his evident familiarity with Flemish 'low-life' subjects. He may also have known the works of Hieronymus Bosch from the engravings after his compositions, which enjoyed enormous popularity in the 17th century.

This lively scene is rife with the artist’s characteristically complex symbolism and should be interpreted as an allegory of marriage, indicating that the picture was commissioned in anticipation of impending nuptials. We are grateful to Dr. Mariolina Olivari for confirming the attribution on the basis of photographs, and for her assistance in cataloguing this lot (written communication, 8 March 2018).