Mid-16th Century Painting Allegory Of Venice

Beautiful oil painting on canvas, framed in carved and gilded wood. The painting depicts the allegory of Venice against a utopian backdrop, characterized by a blue sky with clouds. The city of Venice is depicted as a woman wearing a long, elegant dress and tunic. Beside her, on the left, lies a reclining lion, symbolizing the city as well as power and justice, on which the woman rests her hand. To her right is a seated dog, which the woman is holding, a symbol of fidelity. This is a painting of exquisite craftsmanship. Italian manufacture, likely attributed to the Venetian painter Giovanni Battista Zelotti (1526-1578), dating to around the mid-16th century.

Dimensions: H x W x D overall 105 x 87 x 4.5cm; H x W work alone 92 x 75cm