(Milan 1625 – 1684)
Lot and his Daughters,
monogrammed lower left on the blade of the knife: AB,
oil on canvas, 96 x 147.5 cm, framed

Provenance:
Blindarte auction, 13 December 2009, lot 75 (as Antonio Bellucci)

The present painting displays the characteristic style of Milanese artist Antonio Busca, which is particularly distinct in the depiction of old Lot, who displays considerable similarities with other depictions of old men in his oeuvre (see, for instance, the two apostles at the Picture Gallery of the Castello Sforzesco, Milan). The two female figures bear witness to Busca’s lively exchange with the Lombard painters of his time: the woman on the left side is reminiscent of Francesco Cairo’s pictorial treatment of complexion, whilst the one on the right echoes the style of Carlo Francesco and Giuseppe Nuvolone.

Despite having played an important role in the Lombard painting of the 17th century, little is known about the man Antonio Busca. He was a pupil of Panfilo Nuvolone and Ercole Procaccini. In 1650–51 Busca studied in Rome, accompanied by Giovanni Ghisolfi, with whom he collaborated. This sojourn was ground-breaking for his stylistic development: he combined elements of Milanese Mannerism with Roman and Bolognese Classicism. He was active in Piedmont and Lombardy as a fresco painter and executed panel paintings in the Palazzo Ducale, among others, in Milan.