"The Syphax Before Scipio"

c. 1700-1725

THE SYPHAX BEFORE SCIPIO (Italian, c. 1700-1725) by Antonio Mollinari (Italian, 1665-1727). One painting of a series of four oil on canvas Roman history paintings (Venetian, c. 1700-1725), depicting scenes in the life of Scipio Africanus (236-183BC), the Roman general and statesman who conquered the North African City of Carthage in 203 B.C. These paintings are original to the Ca' Corner, Rio San Polo, (San Toma) Venice and were part of the decoration of the Great Room or Portego. They were probably removed in the late 1880s and purchased on the Paris art market by Jules Allard, who in 1896-97 offered the series then on display in his New York showroom to client Edward J. Berwind. The series originally comprised six overdoors and four wall panels.

While previously attributed to Giambattista Piazzetta (Italian, 1683-1745), recent Scholarly research has reattributed this painting to Antonio Molinari, though it may have been a collaborative effort between the two artists.

Italian

Oil on canvas

142" by 126"

Preservation Society of Newport County purchase, June 28, 1962, as part of The Elms, due to architectural mounting.

PSNC.2754.4