Probably by Girolamo Macchietti, 'A Knight of S. Stefano', after 1563
About the work
Overview
The sitter wears the red cross of the military order of S. Stefano, founded in Pisa in 1561 by the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo I de' Medici. Behind the man’s head is a niche containing a sculpture group of a woman and child. Several books of various sizes are propped up on the ledge of the panelling and against the niche. The letters, pen and inkstand on the table, and the books and statue above, allude to his status and learned interests.
Independent life-size and full-length portraits are fairly rare in Tuscan sixteenth-century art. The painting was once thought to be by Alessandro Allori, successor to Bronzino as painter to the Medici court in Florence. However, it is closer in style to the work of Girolamo Macchietti who worked for the Medici as well and who painted The Charity of Saint Nicholas of Bari, also in the National Gallery collection.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- A Knight of S. Stefano
- Artist
- Probably by Girolamo Macchietti
- Artist dates
- 1535 - 1592
- Date made
- after 1563
- Medium and support
- oil on wood
- Dimensions
- 209.5 × 121.2 cm
- Acquisition credit
- Presented by G.F. Watts RA, 1861
- Inventory number
- NG670
- Location
- Not on display
- Collection
- Main Collection
Provenance
Additional information
Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Cecil Gould, ‘National Gallery Catalogues: The Sixteenth Century Italian Schools’, London 1987; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.
Exhibition history
-
2016Painters' Paintings: From Freud to Van DyckThe National Gallery (London)23 June 2016 - 4 September 2016
Bibliography
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1911H. Schulze, Die Werke Angelo Bronzinos, Strasbourg 1911
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1928A. McComb, Agnolo Bronzino: His Life and Works, Cambridge MA 1928
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1962Gould, Cecil, National Gallery Catalogues: The Sixteenth Century Italian Schools (excluding the Venetian), London 1962
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1972C.L. Ragghianti, 'Pertinenze francesi nel Cinquecento', Critica d'arte, XIX/122, 1972, pp. 3-96
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1975C. Gould, Delaroche and Gautier: Gautier's Views on the 'Execution of Lady Jane Grey' and on other Compositions by Delaroche, London 1975
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1987Gould, Cecil, National Gallery Catalogues: The Sixteenth Century Italian Schools, London 1987
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1988P. Costamagna, 'Osservazioni sul attività giovanile di Alessandro Allori. Seconda parte. Les Portraits', Antichità viva, XXVII/1, 1988, pp. 23-31
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1994P. Costamagna, Pontormo, Milan 1994
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2001
C. Baker and T. Henry, The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001
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2004B. Bryant, G.F. Watts Portraits: Fame and Beauty in Victorian Society (exh. cat. National Portrait Gallery, 14 October 2004 - 9 October 2005), London 2004
About this record
If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.
Images
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