Maria Martinetti (Italian, 1864-1921) A game of draughts signed 'Maria Martinetti.' (lower right) watercolour over traces of pencil 53 x 75cm (20 7/8 x 29 1/2in). Footnotes: Provenance Anon. sale, Bonhams London, 21 May 2008, lot 117. Maria Martinetti attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, studying under the Orientalist painter Gustavo Simoni. She exhibited works in Rome, Venice and Paris, where she was awarded a Gold Medal in 1889. Using her own imagination, influenced by the strong interest in Arab culture in Rome in the 1880s, as well as sketches by Simoni, photographs, engravings, and objects, she executed works of Moroccan guards, merchants, harem interiors and Bedouins. She emigrated to America in 1890. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * * VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com