D iscover a first look at a masterpiece by the Master of Florentine Mannerism, Rosso Fiorentino, presented in partnership with Qatar Executive. Refined, vibrant, and bearing the unmistakable hallmarks of eccentricity for which the painter has long been celebrated, this rediscovered masterpiece of Florentine Mannerism is an important addition to the small corpus of extant works by Rosso Fiorentino (1494–1540). Known only from black and white photographs until very recently, the picture was recognised as autograph by Prof. Carlo Falciani, who already in 2013 published it as such, though its whereabouts were still untraced.
The re-emergence of this highly engaging painting, which is datable to the years between 1514 and 1517, when Rosso was still under the formative influence of Andrea del Sarto (1486–1530), therefore allows for a greater appreciation of the artist's production at a relatively early stage in his career. The work boasts impeccable early provenance, having been acquired by Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia (1729–1796), for the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg.
This is a star highlight of the Old Master & 19th Century Paintings Evening Auction taking place at Sotheby's London on 4 December.
