Provenance

Nicola Cattaneo

Italian

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A tall woman with pale white skin and a shorter man with brown skin stand on a terrace in this vertical, full-length portrait. At the center, the woman wears a voluminous, long-sleeved, black dress with a row of gold buttons down the bodice. She has a wide, gray ruffled collar at her neck and red ruffled cuffs at her wrists. Her brown hair is pulled back under a cap ornamented with rows of white pearls. She looks at us close-lipped down the bridge of her straight nose. She holds a sprig of orange blossoms in her right hand, on our left. The second person leans into the space from our right as he reaches to hold a crimson-red parasol over and behind the woman’s head. He is cleanshaven with short, dark hair and brown eyes. He wears an amber-yellow garment over a white shirt. Fluted columns rise along the right edge of the composition, and the terrace is enclosed with a low balustrade. Plants surround the woman's feet, and a distant landscape below a blue sky is visible to our left.
Sir Anthony van Dyck, Marchesa Elena Grimaldi Cattaneo, 1623, oil on canvas, Widener Collection, 1942.9.92

Marchesa Elena Grimaldi Cattaneo

Sir Anthony van Dyck · 1623 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1942.9.92

A young girl with light skin, round, rosy cheeks, and blond hair holds an apple and wears a full, ankle-length, silvery white dress with puffy sleeves in this vertical portrait painting. She stands with her body slightly angled to our left, and she turns her face to look at us with large, dark blue eyes under faint brows. Her wavy blond hair falls to her chin and glimmers where it catches the light. Her nose and cheeks are flushed, and her rose-red lips are closed. She holds a red and green apple with both hands at her waist. Her dress has a high neck and voluminous, puffy sleeves with lace at the cuffs. Her dress is covered by a smock down the front and an apron over the full skirt. The apron is edged with lace and seems to be smooth, which contrasts with the textured appearance of the skirt and sleeves. The rounded toes of her cream-white shoes poke out under the ankle-length hem of her dress. She stands on a platform or on a step, and a crimson-red cushion with gold trim and tassels rests on the floor behind her. To our left, a thick, square column rises from a tall base and reaches off the top edge of the composition. The background to our right is dark with shadow.
Sir Anthony van Dyck, Maddalena Cattaneo, 1623, oil on canvas, Widener Collection, 1942.9.94

Maddalena Cattaneo

Sir Anthony van Dyck · 1623 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1942.9.94

A young boy with pale skin and short brown hair, wearing a black and gold jerkin and breeches, white lace collar, and buttercup-yellow stockings, stands facing us with a dog at his heels in this vertical portrait painting. The boy is brightly lit so the area around and behind him are deep in shadow. His body is angled slightly to our right but he turns to look at us with green eyes under faint brows. He has a round face, a short nose, and the corners of his closed, coral-pink lips turn slightly up. His hair is parted in the middle and bangs sweep to each side of his forehead. He stands with his left fist resting on his hip so his elbow juts out. His other arm rests by his side and he holds the dog’s chain-link leash in that hand. The boy's right foot, on our left, points toward us. His close-fitting, belted jacket, breeches, and hip-length cape are embroidered with gold on black. He has a delicate lace collar at his neck, bright yellow stockings on his calves, and brown, round-toed shoes. The chain he holds connects to the collar on the brown and white dog, which could be a puppy. The dog’s collar is lined with large brass bosses like a row of buttons. The dog stands or sits with its front legs straight, and his back end is hidden by the boy’s legs. The background behind the boy is chestnut brown and the room seems to have a wooden floor. The painting is inscribed in black paint near the upper left corner: “Ao 1623 AET. 4. 7.”
Sir Anthony van Dyck, Filippo Cattaneo, 1623, oil on canvas, Widener Collection, 1942.9.93

Filippo Cattaneo

Sir Anthony van Dyck · 1623 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1942.9.93