FRANCESCO SIMONINI (ITALIAN, 1686-c.1755)
Market scene at a military encampment
ink and sepia/bistre drawing
53 x 80 cm. (20 7/8 x 31 1/2 in.)

Provenance
Private Collection, UK

Francesco Simonini was one of the most in-demand battle painters (battaglista) in 18th-century Venice, as evidenced by his vast output. Despite his popularity, details of his life and the chronology of his work remain relatively unknown. His oeuvre primarily consists of battle scenes and studies of horses, though stylistically his work reveals influences from Ilario Mercanti, il Spolverini (1657–1734). Simonini is recorded as having been apprenticed to Francesco Monti, il Brescianino (1646–1703) in Parma, before embarking on a career that took him to Florence, Rome, and Bologna. From 1721 to 1727, he worked in Bologna before settling in Venice in the early 1730s. There, he came under the patronage of Field Marshal Count Johann Matthias von der Schulenburg, the Venetian commander, and accompanied him on military campaigns, experiencing battle scenes that greatly influenced his work. One of Schulenburg's inventories described Simonini as "the only painter of battles in Venice."

This particular drawing, a preparatory sketch for a market scene, offers a rare glimpse into his exploration of everyday life. The scene is bustling with activity: figures butcher meat, wash clothing, and engage in trade, while entertainment is provided by a monkey in the foreground. The expansive landscape in the distance adds depth, while the fluidity of Simonini’s lines conveys a sense of dynamic movement, capturing both the energy of the market.

This drawing stands in contrast to Simonini’s more well-known battle scenes, but it highlights his versatility and keen observation.