Rosalba Carriera (Venice 1675 - 1757), Portrait of a gentleman, half length, his hat beneath his arm
Rosalba Carriera (Venice 1675 - 1757), Portrait of a gentleman, half length, his hat beneath his arm.
Pastel on paper; 23 1/8 by 18 1/2 in; 58.8 by 46.9 cm. Estimation: 30,000 - 40,000 USD: 30,000 - 40,000 USD
PROVENANCE: Sale, London, Christie's, 11 December 1990, lot 47a
LITTERATURE: N. Jeffares, Dictionary of Pastellists before 1800, London 2006, p. 113, reproduced
NOTE DE CATALOGUE: This fine portrait of an unidentified gentleman is characteristic of Rosalba's style, where her skillful use of sfumatoand delicate choice of palette are particularly evident. In these respects, the present work can be compared with Rosalba's Portrait of a Gentleman in the National Gallery, London.1 The pose, and also the handling of the hair and costume, are very similar in the London portrait, as is the manner in which the detailing of lace is rendered, employing a technique much used by Rosalba, as Neil Jeffares has noted: 'among her hallmark techniques is the use of the flat side of a chalk dragged over contrasting color to depict lace effectively rather than accurately.'2
Sotheby's. Property from the Estate of Giancarlo Baroni. New York | 29 janv. 2013 www.sothebys.com