Mimic of a Master

Francesco Albotto - View of Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo - c. 1745 - Oil on canvas, 61 x 97 cm - Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte, Naples (click photo for larger image)Italian painter from the Venetian school Francesco Albotto (1721-1757) () was virtually unheard of until fairly recently. He was a young assistant to Michele Marieschi at the time of Marieschi's death in 1741—and he married the master’s widow. He was also a painter of views and called himself the "second" Marieschi. He continued to produce pictures for the busy Venetian market, usually of decidedly good quality but rather reminiscent of Marieschi. His pictures are quite rare. His imitations of the master's work have created a good deal of confusion between the two artists—however his work eventually became formulaic.