Lot 2115 D α

Although Filippo Falciatore's biographical details remain unknown, the artist has provided us with a substantial body of works, the first of which originates from his time as an employee in the studios of Paolo die Matteis and later Antonio Vaccaro. He was active in and around Naples for the entirety of his career, painting frescoes for various palaces in the region, religious works for churches, as well as humorous genre scenes such as the present work. The costumes and interior decor allow us to date the work to the second half of the 18th century when the Ottoman style became fashionable. A further comparable version of the "Ballo in Maschera" (Paris, private collection) has been published by Alessandra Costantini (In ricordo di Enzo Costantini, Torino 2006). <BR><BR>We would like to thank Professor Nicola Spinosa for confirming the authenticity of this work after seeing it in person.