CASSANA, Niccolò
(b. 1659, Venezia, d. 1714, London)

Portrait of a Cook

c. 1685
Oil on canvas, 138 x 121 cm
Private collection

The free, expressive style used to paint this Portrait of a Cook is reminiscent of the spirited art of Bernardo Strozzi, who had moved to Venice around 1632-1633, bringing with him Niccolò's father, Giovanni Francesco (c. 1620-1690), himself a painter as well. The figure of the cook is posed in an interior, a dark wall behind him. The artist's palette makes use of fairly muted colours, such as the browns and pinkish reds that contrast with the luminous, seductively carefree whites.