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Circle of Giuseppe Arcimboldo
Estimate
20,000 - 25,000 USD
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Description
- Giuseppe Arcimboldo
- An oval allegorical portrait of the Visual Arts in an elaborate frame, said to be a portrait of Michelangelo
- Pen and brown ink and wash;
the portrait and the frame executed on two different sheets of paper;
bears old inscription in pen and brown ink to the top of the frame: Per servir sempre fui de Servi sono; bears pencil inscription on the backing: Portrait of Michelangelo by/Benvenuto Cellini/bought at Foster by Lord Ashburton 1861 at/Sale.
Provenance
Sir Thomas Lawrence (L.2445),
his sale, London, 5 June 1860, lot 249 (as Cellini: 'A singular caricature portrait of M. Angelo, composed of artists materials'), purchased by Morant;
sale, London, Foster, 1861,
purchased by Lord Ashburton,
his sale, London, Christie's, 6 May 1871 or 8 June 1872;
Private Collection, Los Angeles, until 1991
his sale, London, 5 June 1860, lot 249 (as Cellini: 'A singular caricature portrait of M. Angelo, composed of artists materials'), purchased by Morant;
sale, London, Foster, 1861,
purchased by Lord Ashburton,
his sale, London, Christie's, 6 May 1871 or 8 June 1872;
Private Collection, Los Angeles, until 1991
Condition
Laid down on a light card board. Tips of three of the corners missing. An old fold in the middle with small cracks and losses towards the end of the left and right margins. Some damages to the surface of the paper, at the top margin and at the bottom and others scattered around the sheet, dew to silver fish. A tear and losses at the bottom margin running towards the decorative frame with small losses. Some little staining at the top and few spots of foxing. Paper slightly discoloured. Sold mounted but not framed.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
In the Lawrence Sale the present sheet was attributed to Cellini and believed to be a 'caricature portrait' of Michelangelo. It is an amusing and entertaining representation of all the arts - architecture, painting and sculpture - and is closely linked to the world of Arcimboldo. The elaborate frame surrounding the portrait is most probably by a different hand and seems stylistically more Florentine than Lombard. Arcimboldo's images have enjoyed great celebrity ever since the artist's own lifetime. He seems not to have painted any of his characteristic composite heads prior to his move in 1562 from Lombardy to the Hapsburg court in Vienna. After working also at the Court of the Holy Roman Emperors in Prague, the artist returned to Milan in 1587, and it seems likely that the present sheet dates from after this time. Although Arcimboldo's inventions were soon imitated and replicated widely, it is in fact quite rare to come across drawings of these subjects.