Looking for information on an artist

March 28, 2007 8:18 AM

ArtFilter: For several generations, my family has had a large painting that's a reproduction of Guido Reni's Aurora. At some point it was water damaged, and my father just had it restored. The woman who restored it fond an artist's name on the back, "R. Menchetti - Roma." Aside from the artnet link, we haven't been able to find anything else out about him. I'm not an art or art history expert. Where can I look to find more information, online or off?
posted by emptyage to Media & Arts (3 answers total)

You could contact your local college or university's art history or restoration department (if applicable), and see what they can come up with. If you don't have any colleges/universities with decent art departments nearby, you could try contacting someone at either Buffalo State College or the University at Buffalo, both of which are excellent schools with very knowledgable people.
posted by Verdandi at 8:33 AM on March 28, 2007

When I was living in New York back in the mid 80's I owned a couple of art galleries, and did some business with Sothebys, which is the only reason I'm linking to their service offering here.

They were professional, very, very through, and there was absolutely no pressure to proceed with an actual auction; so you could get the information you desire.
posted by Mutant at 12:56 PM on March 28, 2007

I also have a copy of a Reni, with an illegible signature, one of his St. Sebastians (this one). Picked it up in a thrift shop, and think from the condition of the canvas and stretcher that it's 19th century, or perhaps earlier. Finding this work made me wonder if Reni was being widely copied for the tourist market at one time.

Those three images on the Menchetti link all look to be in Reni's baroque portraiture style, to my eye, though I don't know the originals. Perhaps Menchetti was a specialist in works after Reni.
posted by Scram at 7:44 PM on March 28, 2007