(Innsbruck 1838–1902 Neuilly-sur-Seine)
Fireworks on the beach. Saint Lucy’s Day in Amalfi, signed F. R. Unterberger, verso titled and inscribed in the artist’s own hand “Malfi, F. R. Unterberger, Bruxelles”,
oil on canvas, 52.5 x 76.5 cm, framed, (Rei)

Provenance:
Gallerie Paffrath, Düsseldorf, 1964;
Private Collection, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

“The painting with a restrained colour palette, which I have available in jpeg format, is undoubtedly authentic. The history of the painting’s provenance features, for one, the Gallery Paffrath in Düsseldorf, known for its standards of excellence, where it was on sale in the mid-1960s. The form of the signature, and the style of composition and painting, suggest to me that we are dealing with one of Unterberger’s earliest Italian pictures, possibly originating from the mid-1860s; on the reverse, the artist has indicated in his own hand his new place of residence in its French form, “Bruxelles”; and the place depicted in the image as “Malfi”, a shortened form of Amalfi. The image’s motif is undoubtedly the festival of Santa Lucia, which was also celebrated in Amalfi. Despite originally marking the celebration of an early Christian saint, its development in the Scandinavian countries as well as in Italy has less to do with the Church than with exuberant celebrations and light shows reminiscent of the Winter Solstice, celebrated every 13 December until the introduction of the Gregorian calendar. The present painting belongs to the early work – which has not, until now, been valued with the approbation it is due – of F. R. Unterberger.”
Prof. Dr. Sybille Moser-Ernst m. p.

We are grateful to Prof. Dr. Sybille Moser-Ernst for her scientific assistance.

A certificate issued by Prof. Dr. Sybille Moser-Ernst (August 2016) is available.