The day of Dec. 12, 2024, will open with the auction devoted to “Old Paintings,” a collection of works of high artistic value tracing the history of European painting from the 15th to the 18th century. In this round, special attention is paid to works on paper and paintings from local workshops and schools that testify to the artistic vibrancy of different geographical areas.

Among the most interesting lots is Alessandro Algardi's Decollazione di San Paolo, a red pencil drawing of extraordinary executive quality (155x225 mm, estimate: €20,000.00 - €25,000.00). The work exemplifies the graphic excellence of the Bolognese master, known for his ability to capture the dramatic dynamism of religious scenes.

Another jewel in the catalog is Lorenzo De Ferrari's La Madonna con Bambino appare a San Francesco Regis, a work on paper that combines pen, ink and watercolor (335x565 mm, estimate: €5,000.00 - €6,000.00) and reveals the Genoese painter's narrative skill in rendering scenes of deep devotion.

Paintings on canvas include the striking Winter View of Town with Commoners by Pieter Van Bloemen, known as the Stendardo (63x97 cm, estimate: € 4,000.00 - € 6,000.00) and the classic Venus Demands Arms to Vulcan for Aeneas by Franz Xaver Wagenschoen (estimate: € 4,000.00 - € 5,000.00). Closing the selection is the Miracle of Jesus, attributed to the 18th-century Venetian school (76x96 cm, estimate: € 4,000.00 - € 5,000.00), which is an example of the local painting tradition in reinterpreting sacred themes with lively intensity.