On view
European Art
Portrait of a woman; Verso: sketch of a boy,
16th century
Artist unidentified
Italian
y1991-71
This double-sided painting depicting a woman on the front and a young boy on the reverse raises tantalizing questions that are the subject of continued research. Why did the artist paint on pewter, an unusual and inexpensive material, rather than on a more common support such as wood or copper? While the portrait of the woman is finished, that of the young boy remains a sketch. Is the boy the sitter’s son? Why is his portrait unfinished? Might the portrait of the woman be a self-portrait?
Information
Title
Portrait of a woman; Verso: sketch of a boy
Dates
16th century
Maker
Medium
Oil on pewter
Dimensions
16.3 x 12.4 x 0.2 cm (6 7/16 x 4 7/8 x 1/16 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Marco Grassi, Class of 1956, and Cristina Grassi
Object Number
y1991-71
Place Made
Europe, Italy, Florence
Culture
Type
Subject
Private collection (until 1989; sale, Christie’s London, December 8, 1989, lot 129, withdrawn; sale, Christie’s London, April 9, 1990, unsold); Marco and Cristina Grassi (until 1991; gift to Princeton University Art Museum).;
- Important old master pictures: the properties of Saint Catherine's Episcopal Church ; Blairgowrie, Pethshire; the estate of the 2nd Lord Charnwood..., (London: Christie, Manson & Woods Ltd., 1989)., no. 129 (color illus.)
- Old Master drawings, (London: Christie, Manson & Woods, 1990)., no. 71
- Flavio Caroli, "Aggiunte a Sofonisba Anguissola e Fede Galizia", Notizie da Palazzo Albani 20, no. 1/2 (1991): p. 143-148., fig. 5; p. 146 (illus.); p. 144-145
- "Acquisitions of the Art Museum 1991," Record of the Art Museum, Princeton University 51, no. 1 (1992): p. 22-78., p. 23, p. 28 (illus.)
