Oil painting, 'Peasants Warming Themselves', Giacomo Francesco Cipper, Bergamo, ca. 1705-1736

Three figures set against a neutral dark background: an old man holding a pitcher and an old woman with a spindle, both warming their hand over a brazier; a third female figure receding into the shade behind them.

Bequeathed by John M. Parsons

Bequeathed by John M. Parsons, 1870
John Meeson Parsons (1798-1870), art collector, was born in Newport, Shropshire. He later settled in London, and became a member of the stock exchange. His interest in railways led to his election as an associate of the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1839, and he was director or chairman of two railway companies between 1843 and 1848. Much of his time however was spent collecting pictures and works of art. In his will he offered his collection of mostly German and Dutch schools to the National Gallery (which selected only three works) and to the Department of Science and Art at South Kensington, later the Victoria and Albert Museum. The South Kensington Museum acquired ninety-two oil paintings and forty-seven watercolours. A number of engravings were also left to the British Museum.

Historical significance: This work was on loan to the National Gallery, London, from 1895 to 1960 .Originally attributed to Honthorst (1893 ), and subsequently to the school of Haarlem (National Gallery, , 1915), it was attributed to Cipper by Arslan (1933) and Porcella (1934); an attribution followed by Levey (National Gallery, , 1956).

This work is typical of Cipper, who specialised in genre scenes. As his style shows little stylistic development it is difficult to suggest a date.

An elderly couple are depicted warming their hands over a brazier, while a third, female figure is visible behind them in the shade. The old man appears in similar works by Cipper including Old peasants, a violin player and a young spinster, in the Semenzano collection, Venice and Old man holding a bowl, whereabouts unknown. The old woman with a spindle is also a recurrent type in Cipper's work. Their contrasted attributes of a pitcher and a spindle are probably ironic allusions to his fondness for drink and her hard work. The large, worn-out faces and the stiff gestures are reminiscent of the Cremonese painter Vincenzo Campi (1530/35-1591), while the subject matter and the monochrome palette, with warm hues of reddish brown and ochre, recall the genre scenes of Dutch painters such as Adriaen van Ostade (1610-1685).

Giacomo Francesco Cipper, called Il Todeschini, (active 1705-36) was probably of Northern origins (his nickname 'Todeschini' = 'German'). Little is known about him. He was active in the region of Bergamo and Brescia and his style bears a number of similarities with that of Giacomo Antonio Ceruti, (1698-1767).Other works by Cipper in England include The painter in his studio and a Scene with peasants in the Royal Collection, Hampton Court.

Genre scenes of everyday life emerged in the Netherlands during 16th and 17th centuries century, and were popularised in Rome by the Bamboccianti mostly itinerant Netherlandish painters specialising in low-life subjects. Genre subjects were popularised in Lombardy by Pietro Bellotti (1627-1700) and Antonio Cifrondi (1657-1730) as well as Ceruti.

Giacomo Francesco Cipper called Il Todeschini (act. 1705-1736) was probably of Northern origins (his nickname Todeschini stands for 'tedesco', literally German). Very little is known about his life although he was active in the region of Bergamo and Brescia and may have been close to the painter Giacomo Antonio Ceruti, (1698-1767) whose art bears some characteristic similarities.

This painting is a good example of Cipper's genre painting, a category in which he specialised almost exclusively. It shows an intimate scene with two peasants warming their hands over a brazier while each one is defined by his attribute: a pitcher for the old man alluding to his drinking habit and a spindle for the old woman referring to her constant hard work. Although stiff in their gesture, the figures however look lively, their worn faces expressing certain serenity.

511-1870