Portrait of a Collector
Encyclopedia
Portrait of a Collector is a painting by the Italian Mannerist artist Parmigianino
, executed around 1524.
in 1587, as a Portrait of a Priest. A more detailed description from 1670, of the works in the Palazzo del Giardino at Parma
, also identifies the subject as religious man. The painting arrived in England
in the early 19th century, in the collections of Lord Radstock, and was later auctioned at Christie's as Parmigianino's self-portrait. In 1857 he become part of the collections of Lord Strafford at Wrotham Park, being acquired by the National Gallery in 1977.
It was published for the first time in a art history journal in 1940, on Emporium, which assigned it to the Roman sojounr of the painter. It was later considered earlier, to c. 1524, basing on stylistic similarities with works of that period. In particular, the bas-relief is similar to that in the fresco of Sts. Lucy and Apollonia at San Giovanni Evangelista, while the portrait scheme and technique recalls the Portrait of Galeazzo Sanvitale.
There are at least two old copies of the painting, one in the Uffizi
depot (inventory 3971) and one at the Walker Art Center
of Minneapolis, USA.
today housed in the Biblioteca Civica Berio at Genoa
. This work had been executed some twenty years before the painting by Francesco Marmitta, a painter from Parma who has been erroneously considered Parmigianino's master. The man is the same appearing in a portrait in London, attributed by some to Dosso Dossi
.
The subject, who is illuminated by a frontal source,wears a wide black coat lined in fur, and a hat of the same color. His left hands holds the Offiziolo, whose decorated cover is painted in the finest details; the right hands lies on the table, and has a golden ring with a precious stone at the little finger. Near it are a bronze statuette in ancient style, perhaps a female divinity (identified by some as Ceres
), three bronze medals and an ancient silver coin: these objects were added as a show of the man's cultural interests. In the left background is a marble bas-relief of Mars, Cupid and Venus, a typical theme of the Platonic Academy
, while on the right is a landscape.
Parmigianino
Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola , also known as Francesco Mazzola or more commonly as Parmigianino or sometimes "Parmigiano", was an Italian Mannerist painter and printmaker active in Florence, Rome, Bologna, and his native city of Parma...
, executed around 1524.
History
The work, together with other four attributed to Parmigianino, was listed in the "wardrobe" of Ranuccio FarneseRanuccio Farnese
Ranuccio Farnese may refer to:*Ranuccio Farnese il Vecchio , grandfather of Pope Paul III*Ranuccio Farnese , son of Pope Paul III*Ranuccio Farnese , grandson of Pope Paul III...
in 1587, as a Portrait of a Priest. A more detailed description from 1670, of the works in the Palazzo del Giardino at Parma
Parma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
, also identifies the subject as religious man. The painting arrived in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in the early 19th century, in the collections of Lord Radstock, and was later auctioned at Christie's as Parmigianino's self-portrait. In 1857 he become part of the collections of Lord Strafford at Wrotham Park, being acquired by the National Gallery in 1977.
It was published for the first time in a art history journal in 1940, on Emporium, which assigned it to the Roman sojounr of the painter. It was later considered earlier, to c. 1524, basing on stylistic similarities with works of that period. In particular, the bas-relief is similar to that in the fresco of Sts. Lucy and Apollonia at San Giovanni Evangelista, while the portrait scheme and technique recalls the Portrait of Galeazzo Sanvitale.
There are at least two old copies of the painting, one in the Uffizi
Uffizi
The Uffizi Gallery , is a museum in Florence, Italy. It is one of the oldest and most famous art museums of the Western world.-History:...
depot (inventory 3971) and one at the Walker Art Center
Walker Art Center
The Walker Art Center is a contemporary art center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. The Walker is considered one of the nation's "big five" museums for modern art along with the Museum of Modern Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum and the Hirshhorn...
of Minneapolis, USA.
Description
The first art historian to clarify that the subject was not a priest was Freedberg, in 1950, identifying him as Francesco Baiardi. Today he is considered an unknown collector, who holds the Offiziolo Durazzo, a miniated breviaryBreviary
A breviary is a liturgical book of the Latin liturgical rites of the Catholic Church containing the public or canonical prayers, hymns, the Psalms, readings, and notations for everyday use, especially by bishops, priests, and deacons in the Divine Office...
today housed in the Biblioteca Civica Berio at Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
. This work had been executed some twenty years before the painting by Francesco Marmitta, a painter from Parma who has been erroneously considered Parmigianino's master. The man is the same appearing in a portrait in London, attributed by some to Dosso Dossi
Dosso Dossi
Dosso Dossi , real name Giovanni di Niccolò de Luteri, was an Italian Renaissance painter who belonged to the Ferrara School of Painting.-Biography:Dossi was born in San Giovanni del Dosso a village in the province of Mantua...
.
The subject, who is illuminated by a frontal source,wears a wide black coat lined in fur, and a hat of the same color. His left hands holds the Offiziolo, whose decorated cover is painted in the finest details; the right hands lies on the table, and has a golden ring with a precious stone at the little finger. Near it are a bronze statuette in ancient style, perhaps a female divinity (identified by some as Ceres
Ceres (mythology)
In ancient Roman religion, Ceres was a goddess of agriculture, grain crops, fertility and motherly relationships. She was originally the central deity in Rome's so-called plebeian or Aventine Triad, then was paired with her daughter Proserpina in what Romans described as "the Greek rites of Ceres"...
), three bronze medals and an ancient silver coin: these objects were added as a show of the man's cultural interests. In the left background is a marble bas-relief of Mars, Cupid and Venus, a typical theme of the Platonic Academy
Platonic Academy (Florence)
The Platonic Academy was a 15th century discussion group in Florence. It was founded after Gemistus Pletho reintroduced Plato's thoughts to Western Europe during the 1438 - 1439 Council of Florence. It was sponsored by Cosimo de' Medici and led by Marsilio Ficino...
, while on the right is a landscape.