Giuseppe Bonito

"The following condition report has been provided by Henry Gentle, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. The original canvas is lined and the paint layer is in good condition and, although slightly raised, is stable. There are two small repaired damages upper right, in the background, and one lower down in the dress. One small repair to the sitter's right hand and a strengthening to the left forearm can be detected under ultra-violet light, along with repairs to the edge, lower right and lower left. A scattering of minor retouchings across the surface can also be detected where minor paint loss has occurred. Overall the painting is in good original, well preserved condition with impasto that is unaffected and colours that saturate well. Offered in a modern gilt wood frame in good condition."
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

The Infanta María Luisa de Borbón was the daughter of Carlos de Borbón (1716-88), later Charles III of Spain (ruled 1759-88), and María Amalia of Saxony (1724-60). Of their thirteen children, seven were girls but only two reached adulthood. María Luisa, seen here as a young girl, would later become Grand Duchess of Tuscany when she married Archduke Peter Leopold in 1764. In 1790, two years before her death, her husband became Holy Roman Emperor following the death of his childless brother, Joseph II, and took the name Leopold II. The family moved from Florence to Vienna and María Luisa took on the role of imperial consort. Her husband died barely two years later on 1 March 1792 and she followed him to the grave just three months later. Maria Luísa bore her husband sixteen children of whom Francis, the eldest son, would become the last Holy Roman Emperor.

The present portrait was painted in Naples circa 1758-1759 by Giuseppe Bonito, a favourite at the court of King Carlos and who, in 1748, had executed a series of nine paintings of his children, today in the Prado, Madrid. Carlos ruled Naples as Carlos VII  from 1735-59. Very soon after the completion of the present portrait the family moved to Madrid on account of Carlos' accession to the Spanish throne. It was probably originally paired with a portrait of the same size depicting María Lusa's elder sister María Josefa (1744-1801), currently with Galería Caylus, Madrid.