The work features Punchinelli, the hook-nosed, humpbacked clowns who were one of the stock characters taken from the 17th century commedia dell'arte, an early form of professional theatre. The character fascinated Tiepolo and he returned to the subject throughout his long career, depicting his Punchinelli making and eating gnocchi, and suffering from the excesses of overindulgence. The subject derives from a regional festival, venerdì gnoccolare, which took place in Verona on the last Friday of Carnival. Young boys from the poorest district of San Zeno, dressed up in costume, and gathered at the Palazzo del Podestà to invite the mayor to the town square for a glass of wine and a plate of gnocchi, followed by a town fiesta of eating and drinking until dawn.

The drawing was purchased by the Sitwells at the Henry Oppenheimer sale of Old Master Drawings at Christie’s in 1936 and has remained in the family collection ever since. It was recently rediscovered in one of the safes at Weston Hall. It is estimated to fetch £150,000-200,000 (+ fees).

For more discoveries from Weston Hall, click here.

AUCTION DETAILS
16 & 17 November | 10.30am
Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE

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VIEWING:
Highlights exhibition at Dreweatts London from Tuesday 28 September - Friday 1 October 2021:
16-17 Pall Mall, St James's, London SW1Y 5LU

Full auction on view at Dreweatts Newbury from Wednesday 10 - Monday 15 November 2021:
Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE

To book an appointment, please email: housesales@dreweatts.com or call 44 (0) 1635 553 513.

ENQUIRIES
The catalogue will be available and online in October. If you wish to purchase a printed catalogue, the cost including postage is:

UK: £30
Europe: £40
USA / Africa / Asia: £50
Australasia: £55

To pre-order a catalogue, please pay online here. Please put 'SITWELL AUCTION CATALOGUE' in the 'Invoice number' field and ensure you complete all other fields. 

General enquiries: + 44 (0) 1635 553 553 | housesales@dreweatts.com 
Press enquiries: smaylor@dreweatts.com