Triumph of Amphitrite Italian school, 18th century Mixed media on paper 37.5 x 50 cm A refined composition depicting a marine procession with female figures, cupids and water gods immersed within a luminous landscape of sky and sea. At the centre of the scene is an articulated group of nymphs and putti suspended above the waves, wrapped in ample draperies moved by the wind and constructed according to a decorative conception of fully Rococo taste. The work is distinguished by the atmospheric lightness of the composition and by the use of a mixed technique based on transparent glazes and soft tonal fading, in which the gouache and watercolour component prevails over the traditional oil painting. The very light tones of the sky and sea, the mother-of-pearl complexions and the fluidity of the drapery help to create a scene of great decorative elegance and strong luminous suggestion. In terms of compositional approach and chromatic sensitivity, the sheet probably appears referable to the Roman figurative culture of the mid-18th century, updated as much on the decorative inventions of Emilia as on the French experiences of the international rococo. In terms of technique, format and decorative purpose, the work may have been conceived as an autonomous model or sketch intended for a broader interior decoration, according to a practice widespread in 18th century European aristocratic culture.