La Penitente - French School

Hi everyone

I am a complete novice to the art world (I usually only buy and sell ceramics etc) so forgive me if the following is stupid.

I won a lot at auction recently and included was this oil on canvas painting which says
"La Penitente - French School" - can't see a signature. It also has a Happy Birthday message on the back from a mother to her daughter in 1969.

So I have done a bit of google research and I think its a (student??) copy of a 1700s painter called Pietro Rotari? Is that correct and does it have any value whatsoever?

Many thanks
Laine

 

From the photo, it looks like a print with maybe some hand embellishments... more so than a painted copy.

 

Is it on canvas or board?

 

Forgive the poor child!! Mercy!

 

I forgave her the minute I saw her. You would, wouldn't you.

 

Mais, oui!!

 

Just what birthday message do you suppose this mother was trying to send her daughter? Not my idea of how to express 'Many Happy Returns'!

 

Not only did you not have sisters, you had a different mother... Trust me!

 

Oh, my mother was 'different' all right.

 

So was mine. Officially recognized as 'different'.

 

Hmmm -- well, that's three of us...and I know of at least one more...

 

Maybe we'd do better to count the exceptions.

 

So. Is it worth anything?

 

You can do the only thing we can do: look for others like it that have been for sale, see if they sold & for how much.

You might be able to find the original venue for this sale that will tell you the outcome. Worthpoint makes you pay for that info, but it looks very like yours; see label on back.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antique-repro-pietro-antonio-rotari-1784798467

 

As the original is in a private collection, yours would be a copy and, as such, the value would be decorative. It is charming, which is why it has often been reproduced. Attractive frame adds appeal.

Debora

 

Thank you all - I will steal the Worthpoint description and list.