- 104
Veronica Telli
Description
- Veronica Telli
- A set of four portraits of Prince James Francis Edward Stuart, 'The Old Pretender' (1688-1766); Maria Clementina Stuart, née Sobieska (1702-1735); Charles Edward Stuart, 'The Young Pretender' (1720-1788); Henry Benedict Stuart, 'Cardinal York' (1725–1807)
two signed verso: Veronica Telli / né Stern / fecit anno 1748 =; one signed verso: Veronica Telli / né Stern / fecit anno 1748
- watercolour with bodycolour on ivory, gilt-metal mounts, ebonized turned wood frames
- each 10.1 by 8.2 cm.; 4 by 3 1/4 in
Catalogue Note
It is exceptional that these four miniatures have survived as a set. Based upon large scale oil paintings; they were executed in 1748 while the exiled Stuart family were living in Rome. The portrait of Prince James Francis Edward Stuart appears to have been inspired by two separate works: the head is based upon a painting by Domenico Dupra (1689-1770), painted in 1742 (see Edward Corp, The King over the Water, 2001, p. 82, fig. 77); while the costume may be linked to a composition by Anton Raphael Mengs (1728-1779). The portrait of Prince James' consort Maria Clementina Stuart is derived from a painting by Martin van Meyten (1695-1770), which dates from 1725 (see Edward Corp, The King over the Water, 2001, p. 80, fig. 74). The Charles Edward Stuart and Henry Benedict Stuart portraits are based upon works by Louis Tocque (1696-1772) and Louis-Gabriel Blanchet (1705-1772) (see Donald Nicholas, The Portraits of Bonnie Prince Charlie, 1973, p. 38, fig. E; and Edward Corp, The King over the Water, 2001, p. 88, fig. 80).
At least two other versions of the miniature of Prince James Francis Edward Stuart are recorded: one was sold at Bonhams on the 5th November 2002, lot 30, attributed to Pompeo Batoni; while a second was offered in these Rooms on the 5th June 2008, lot 152, attributed to the Italian School. Stylistically these are identical to the present works, which therefore makes an attribution to Veronica Telli more plausible.
Veronica Telli, née Stern, was born in Rome in 1717 and died there in 1801. She was a member of the St. Luca Academy from 1742 until her death and during the 1740's she was connected to the Stuart Court.