Orazio Borgianni

A study of a woman, head and shoulders, possibly Saint Mary Magdalene

Lot Closed

May 26, 02:46 PM GMT

Estimate

15,000 - 20,000 USD

Lot Details

Description

Orazio Borgianni

Rome circa 1575 - 1616

A study of a woman, head and shoulders, possibly Saint Mary Magdalene

oil on canvas

canvas: 20¾ by 16¾ in.; 52.6 by 42.6 cm.

framed: 30 by 24 in.; 76.2 by 61 cm.

Anonymous sale, Beverly, MA, Kaminski, 28 - 29 December 2009, lot 4126 (as Bolognese School, 17th century, Portrait of a lady);
There acquired.

This bust-length figure of a woman (perhaps meant to represent the Magdalene or some other religious figure) is an unpublished work Borgianni. It does relate closely, however, to the figure of the Madonna in a series of Holy Families produced by the artist in more than one version.¹ The tilt of the head, and the facial features of the model—heavily lidded eyes and the languid attitude—are the same.

1. Two are in private collections in the UK, and another is in the Fondazione Longhi, Florence, see G. Papi, Orazio Borgianni, Soncino 1993, cat. nos. 31, 41, 49.