Jean-Claude Pizzetty

JEAN-CLAUDE PIZZETTY (Ain, France, 1832- Lyon, 1894).
"Still life", 1858.
Oil on canvas.
Signed, dated and located in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 64.5 x 53.5 cm; 76.5 x 64.5 cm (frame).

In the still life currently on auction, the treatment of the material qualities stands out for its special success: the nuanced reflections of the metal, the veining of the marble and the velvety texture of the fruit show a meticulous execution and are fully in line with the masterful style of Jean-Claude Pizzetty. The precise brushstroke, together with subtle glazes, builds a dense and enveloping atmosphere that gives the whole a remarkable aesthetic force despite its contained format.

Jean-Claude Pizzetty trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Lyon. He specialized in still life painting -especially flowers, fruits and food compositions- both in oil and watercolor; he developed a career within the French academic and regional sphere, exhibiting since the 1850s and sometimes signing his name as "Pizzetta" in his later years to differentiate himself from other artists.