(Venice 1655–1730 Villabona)
Moses and the Gathering of the Manna by the Israelites,
oil on canvas, 75.5 x 130.5 cm, framed

Provenance:
possibly Palazzo Moro Lin, Venice (early 18th Century);
Private collection, Rome

Literature:
possibly V. da Canal, Vita di Gregorio Lazzarini (1732), ed. by G. Moschini, Venice 1809, pp. L-LI

We are grateful to Bernard Aikema for suggesting the attribution after examination of the present painting in the original and for his help in cataloguing this lot.

The present painting depicts the theme of the Fall of Manna (Exodus 16, 14-17) in a composition with many figures. This subject was seen as a prefiguration to the Last Supper, and related to the Mass. Paintings with this theme were often placed in the choir of churches, flanking the High Altar, especially in Venice and the Veneto (so-called laterali). The present picture is, indeed, by the hand of Venetian artist Gregorio Lazzarini, who lived between 1655 and 1730. He was Giambattista Tiepolo’s teacher and introduced a Bolognese and Roman inspired classicist manner to Venetian painting, which is clearly visible in the present work, with its frieze-like composition, relatively bright colours and clearly defined figures.

The present picture appears to be a modello for a laterale, which, until now, has not been identified. It is possible, however, that this picture may be identical with ‘la Manna nel diserto con assai bella disposizione di molte figure, modello finito, che doveasi eseguire per la chiesa de’ ss. Giovanni e Paolo’ (The Manna in the Desert with a very beautiful composition of many figures, a finished model, which had to be executed for [the Venetian church of] Santo Giovanni e Paolo); a picture about which nothing further is known. The reference is from the biography of Gregorio Lazzarini, written in 1732 by Vincenzo da Canal (see V. da Canal, Vita di Gregorio Lazzarini, Venice 1809, pp. L-LI), which is the main source of information on the painter, which testifies Lazzarini’s fame, not only in Venice but also elsewhere in Italy and Europe.