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Domenico Fetti Rome 1589-1623 Venice, attributed Lot and His Daughters Oil on canvas, relined 96 x 75 cm, with frame 115 x 98 cm Domenico Fetti was a prominent Italian painter of the early Baroque period who worked in Rome, Mantua, and Venice. He is considered one of the most important mediators between Roman naturalism and Venetian color painting. Fetti combined Caravaggio’s dramatic use of light with a finely nuanced, color-rich style influenced by the Venetian masters Titian and Veronese. His works are characterized by psychological depth, emotional immediacy, and a clear narrative structure—qualities that made him one of the defining artists of his time. The painting discussed here, attributed to Domenico Fetti, presumably depicts the biblical scene of Lot and his daughters (Genesis 19:30-36). After the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot and his two daughters flee to a cave. Believing that the world has come to an end and that no men are left alive, the daughters get their father drunk in order to ensure the continuation of the human race through him. This ambivalent story, which oscillates between the breaking of a moral taboo and the preservation of the lineage, was frequently taken up in Baroque art as a symbol of temptation, guilt, and moral conflict. Against a dark background, a dense, emotionally charged scene unfolds in dramatic lighting. Two figures appear closely entwined: on the right, an older man in a brown robe tied at the shoulder, with striking facial features and a tall turban; on the left, a young woman who has draped her left arm around his shoulder and is holding out a chalice in the shape of a cornucopia to him with her right hand—presumably the wine with which Lot is being made drunk. Her gaze is intense, almost pleading, directed at him, while his face—marked by deep wrinkles and warm, earthy tones—is turned toward the viewer. The woman’s blue scarf contrasts with the delicate flesh tones of her face, which stands out in the light and is enlivened by rosy cheeks. The painting exhibits a remarkable intimacy that sets it apart from many other depictions of the subject. Often, both of Lot’s daughters are shown—one pouring wine while the other approaches her father. Here, however, only one daughter is present, almost bringing the vessel to her father’s mouth. This focus on two figures heightens the emotional intensity of the depiction. The man’s flushed face, a sign of wine consumption, already hints at his state of intoxication, while his gaze, directed toward the viewer, further underscores the moral ambivalence of the scene. The radiant blue of the daughter’s headdress deserves special attention, as it stands out vividly against the dark background and the warm flesh tones. In Baroque color iconography, blue was associated with purity, fidelity, and spiritualization, among other things. In this context, the color can be interpreted as a deliberate contrast to the depicted action, thereby reinforcing the scene’s ambivalence. The result is a work of great psychological depth and emotional tension, in which the moral dilemma of the biblical narrative is expressed through dramatic lighting, nuanced coloration, and an almost theatrical intimacy among the figures. Domenico Fetti Rom 1589-1623 Venedig,
Lot 10
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Description

zugeschrieben Lot und seine Töchter Öl auf Leinwand, dubliert 96 x 75 cm, mit Rahmen 115 x 98 cm Domenico Fetti war ein bedeutender italienischer Maler des Frühbarock, der in Rom, Mantua und Venedig tätig war. Er gilt als einer der wichtigsten Vermittler zwischen römischem Naturalismus und venezianischer Farbmalerei. Fetti verband die dramatische Lichtregie Caravaggios mit einer fein nuancierten, farbintensiven Malweise, die von den Venezianern Tizian und Veronese beeinflusst war. Seine Werke zeichnen sich durch psychologische Tiefe, emotionale Unmittelbarkeit und eine klare narrative Struktur aus - Merkmale, die ihn zu einem der prägenden Künstler seiner Zeit machten. Das hier besprochene, Domenico Fetti zugeschriebene Gemälde stellt vermutlich die biblische Szene von Lot und seiner Tochter (Genesis 19,30-36) dar. Nach der Zerstörung Sodoms und Gomorras fliehen Lot und seine beiden Töchter in eine Höhle. Im Glauben, die Welt sei untergegangen und keine Männer mehr am Leben, betrinken die Töchter ihren Vater, um die Menschheit durch ihn fortzusetzen. Diese ambivalente Geschichte, die zwischen moralischem Tabubruch und dem Fortbestand der Nachkommenschaft oszilliert, wurde in der Kunst des Barock häufig als Sinnbild für Versuchung, Schuld und moralischen Konflikt aufgegriffen. Vor einem dunklen Hintergrund entfaltet sich in dramatischer Lichtführung eine dichte, emotional aufgeladene Szene. Zwei Figuren erscheinen eng umschlungen: rechts ein älterer Mann in braunem Gewand, das an der Schulter verknotet ist, mit markanten Gesichtszügen und einem hohen Turban; links eine junge Frau, die den linken Arm um seine Schulter gelegt hat und ihm mit der rechten Hand einen Kelch in Form eines Füllhorns entgegenhält - wohl der Wein, mit dem Lot betrunken gemacht wird. Ihr Blick ist eindringlich, beinahe flehentlich auf ihn gerichtet, während sein Gesicht, von tiefen Falten und warmen, erdigen Farbtönen geprägt, dem Betrachter zugewandt ist. Das blaue Tuch der Frau kontrastiert mit dem zarten Inkarnat ihres Gesichts, das im Licht hervortritt und durch rosige Wangen belebt wird. Das Gemälde weist eine bemerkenswerte Intimität auf, die es von vielen anderen Darstellungen des Themas unterscheidet. Häufig werden beide Töchter Lots gezeigt - eine, die Wein einschenkt, während die andere sich dem Vater nähert. Hier hingegen ist nur eine Tochter präsent, die dem Vater das Gefäß beinahe an den Mund führt. Diese Konzentration auf zwei Figuren steigert die emotionale Intensität der Darstellung. Das gerötete, auf den Weinkonsum verweisende Gesicht des Mannes deutet bereits auf seinen Zustand der Trunkenheit hin, während sein dem Betrachter zugewandter Blick die moralische Ambivalenz der Szene zusätzlich unterstreicht. Besondere Beachtung verdient das strahlende Blau der Kopfbedeckung der Tochter, das sich leuchtend gegen den dunklen Hintergrund und das warme Inkarnat abhebt. In der Farbikonografie des Barock konnte Blau unter anderem mit Reinheit, Treue und Vergeistigung verbunden werden. In diesem Zusammenhang lässt sich die Farbe als bewusst gesetzter Kontrast zur dargestellten Handlung lesen und verstärkt damit die Ambivalenz der Szene. So entsteht ein Werk von großer psychologischer Dichte und emotionaler Spannung, in dem das moralische Dilemma der biblischen Erzählung durch dramatische Lichtführung, nuanciertes Kolorit und eine beinahe bühnenhafte Intimität der Figuren zum Ausdruck gebracht wird.
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Domenico Fetti Rome 1589-1623 Venice, attributed Lot and His Daughters Oil on canvas, relined 96 x 75 cm, with frame 115 x 98 cm Domenico Fetti was a prominent Italian painter of the early Baroque period who worked in Rome, Mantua, and Venice. He is considered one of the most important mediators between Roman naturalism and Venetian color painting. Fetti combined Caravaggio’s dramatic use of light with a finely nuanced, color-rich style influenced by the Venetian masters Titian and Veronese. His works are characterized by psychological depth, emotional immediacy, and a clear narrative structure—qualities that made him one of the defining artists of his time. The painting discussed here, attributed to Domenico Fetti, presumably depicts the biblical scene of Lot and his daughters (Genesis 19:30-36). After the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot and his two daughters flee to a cave. Believing that the world has come to an end and that no men are left alive, the daughters get their father drunk in order to ensure the continuation of the human race through him. This ambivalent story, which oscillates between the breaking of a moral taboo and the preservation of the lineage, was frequently taken up in Baroque art as a symbol of temptation, guilt, and moral conflict. Against a dark background, a dense, emotionally charged scene unfolds in dramatic lighting. Two figures appear closely entwined: on the right, an older man in a brown robe tied at the shoulder, with striking facial features and a tall turban; on the left, a young woman who has draped her left arm around his shoulder and is holding out a chalice in the shape of a cornucopia to him with her right hand—presumably the wine with which Lot is being made drunk. Her gaze is intense, almost pleading, directed at him, while his face—marked by deep wrinkles and warm, earthy tones—is turned toward the viewer. The woman’s blue scarf contrasts with the delicate flesh tones of her face, which stands out in the light and is enlivened by rosy cheeks. The painting exhibits a remarkable intimacy that sets it apart from many other depictions of the subject. Often, both of Lot’s daughters are shown—one pouring wine while the other approaches her father. Here, however, only one daughter is present, almost bringing the vessel to her father’s mouth. This focus on two figures heightens the emotional intensity of the depiction. The man’s flushed face, a sign of wine consumption, already hints at his state of intoxication, while his gaze, directed toward the viewer, further underscores the moral ambivalence of the scene. The radiant blue of the daughter’s headdress deserves special attention, as it stands out vividly against the dark background and the warm flesh tones. In Baroque color iconography, blue was associated with purity, fidelity, and spiritualization, among other things. In this context, the color can be interpreted as a deliberate contrast to the depicted action, thereby reinforcing the scene’s ambivalence. The result is a work of great psychological depth and emotional tension, in which the moral dilemma of the biblical narrative is expressed through dramatic lighting, nuanced coloration, and an almost theatrical intimacy among the figures. Domenico Fetti Rom 1589-1623 Venedig,

Starting Bid

2.000 €

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Price checked 06/11/2026, 11:29:52

Lot ends in

24d 23h 50m
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Lot Details

Lot #
10
Currency
EUR
Location
Vienna, AT
Lot Ends
1 Dec 2026, 15:00:00
Auction Ends
1 Dec 2026, 15:00:00
Lots in Auction
550

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