Lot Essay
We are grateful to Dr. John Spike for proposing the attribution after examination of the originals. Francesco Mantovano was a still-life specialist in mid-seventeenth century Venice: for a recent analysis of his oeuvre, see J. Spike, 'Francesco Mantovano', in G. and U. Bocchi, Naturaliter, Casalmaggiore, 1998, pp. 392-409.