Ferrarese School, second quarter of the 16th century
Portrait of a bearded man holding a glove
Lot Closed
December 8, 02:13 PM GMT
Estimate
60,000 - 80,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
Ferrarese School, second quarter of the 16th century
Portrait of a bearded man holding a glove
oil on poplar panel
unframed: 64.5 x 51 cm.; 25⅜ x 20 in.
framed: 88 x 72.1 cm.; 34⅝ x 28⅜ in.
Thence by descent until offered for sale ('By Order of the Trustees of the Warwick Castle Resettlement'), London, Christie's, 21 June 1968, lot 60 (as Willem Key), where unsold;
By whom sold ('Property from the Collection of the Earls of Warwick'), London, Sotheby's, 10 July 2014, lot 160, for £116,500;
Where acquired by the present owner.
This arresting portrait of a man, whose identity remains elusive, follows the tradition of portraiture in Northern Italy in the early 16th century for setting a bust-length figure against a monochromatic background. The use of a thick panel made of poplar, also presents a strong argument for the work being of north Italian origin. More specifically, its smooth finish and engaging characterisation, recall the works of the Ferrarese aritst Girolamo da Carpi (1501–1556) and allow a tentative dating of the picture to the third and fourth decades of the 1500s.
The sitter is depicted wearing a black robe, beneath which is visible the collar of a white shirt. In his left hand he holds a pair of grey gloves. His sober attire and penetrating gaze, engaging directly with the viewer, suggest his elevated social standing and wealth.
Note on Provenance
This portrait was once part of the illustrious collection of the Earls of Warwick at Warwick Castle, Warwickshire. The castle had formerly been home to one of the finest aristocratic collections of old master portraiture, the basis of which was established by George Greville (1746–1816), 2nd Earl of Warwick, who amassed an enviable set of portraits by Rembrandt, Van Dyck and Rubens.1 It is likely that this portrait was purchased by George's son and heir, Henry Richard Greville, Lord Brooke and later 3rd Earl of Warwick (1779–1853), who continued to add to the castle's already burgeoning collection of art. Amongst his most important acquisitions, where Italian Renaissance works of art are concerned, were two pietra dura tables which were sold in these rooms on 10 December 2015, lots 201 and 202.2
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