Italian school; ca. 1670. "Portrait of a gentleman". Oil on panel.

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OLD MASTERS

By Setdart Auction House

Oct 20, 2021

Set Reminder 2021-10-20 07:30:00 2021-10-20 07:30:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : OLD MASTERS https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/setdart-auction-house/old-masters-7700
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• Lot Description
  Italian school; ca. 1670. "Portrait of a gentleman". Oil on panel. Measures; 28 x 20,5 cm. We see in this canvas a portrait of long bust of a gentleman of severe look, nailed in the spectator, without more symbols of his rank than the dignity that gives off his face and the richness of his clothes, that follow the Spanish fashion prevailing in the Europe of the time. With a black doublet and a small white embroidered scarf, which attracts the light around the face, the character stands out against a neutral and dark background. His face, vividly illuminated, is modeled precisely through the contrast of light and shadow, magnificently worked. Technically, the technique stands out for the use of precise and defined brushstrokes. In addition to a use of light that falls on the flesh tones, highlighting the look, of great psychological depth. A halo of melancholy crosses it. It is a fundamental aspect of 17th century portraiture to transmit the personality and mood of the sitter, which was not expressed in previous periods focused exclusively on external appearance. Naturalism advocates the non-idealization of the countenance. In contrast to other contemporary trends in Italian painting, which focused on decorativism, sober and measured elegance prevails in this portrait. As in the rest of Europe, the portrait became in the 17th century the protagonist genre par excellence of painting, since it began a growing development around it, as a consequence of the new social structures that were implanted in the Western world throughout this century, embodying the maximum expression of the transformation of taste and mentality of the new clientele, emerged between the nobility and the wealthy bourgeoisie, who would take the reins of history in this period. While official circles gave preponderance to other artistic genres, such as history painting, and the incipient collecting encouraged the profusion of costume paintings, portraiture monopolized the demand for painting destined for the more private sphere, as a reflection of the value of the individual in the new society. This genre embodies the permanent presence of the image of its protagonists, to be enjoyed in the intimacy of a studio, in the daily warmth of a family cabinet or presiding over the main rooms of the house.
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