Portrait of a Youth
c. 1482/1485
Painter, Florentine, 1446 - 1510
West Building Main Floor, Gallery 6
Artwork overview
-
Medium
tempera on poplar panel
-
Credit Line
-
Dimensions
overall: 43.5 x 46.2 cm (17 1/8 x 18 3/16 in.)
framed: 60.3 x 50.5 x 4.4 cm (23 3/4 x 19 7/8 x 1 3/4 in.) -
Accession
1937.1.19
Artwork history & notes
Provenance
James-Alexandre, comte de Pourtalès-Gorgier [1776-1855], Paris, by 1841;[1] (Pourtalès-Gorgier sale, Paris, 27 March-4 April 1865, 1st day, no. 87, as by Masaccio [sale began February 6; sale of paintings began March 27]); Henri-Joseph-François, baron de Triqueti [1804-1874], Paris;[2] by inheritance to his daughter, Mme Lee-Childe, baronne de Triqueti, Paris; (Triqueti sale, Paris, 4 May 1886, no. 4). ("a Paris expert's junk shop").[3] Baron Arthur de Schickler [1828-1919], Paris, and Martinvast, Normandy (near Cherbourg); by inheritance to his daughter, Marguerite, Comtesse Hubert de Pourtalès [1870-1956], Paris, and Martinvast, Normandy; sold June 1920 to (Duveen Brothers, Inc., London, and New York) in part-share agreement with (Wildenstein & Co., Inc., New York) and (Arnold Seligmann & Co., Paris);[4] on approval to Carl W. Hamilton [1886-1967], New York, by 1920, and returned 1921;[5] Clarence H. Mackay [1874-1938], Roslyn, New York, by 1924 until at least the mid-1930s;[6] (Duveen Brothers, Inc., London and New York); purchased 15 December 1936 by The A.W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust, Pittsburgh;[7] gift 1937 to NGA.
[1] See Léon-Jean-Joseph Dubois, Descriptions des tableaux faisant partie des collections de M. le Comte de Pourtalés-Gorgier, Paris, 1841: 4, no. 4.
[2] The painting was described as being in the Triqueti collection by Joseph Archer Crowe and Giovanni Battista Cavalcaselle, A New History of Painting in Italy, from the II to the XVI Century, German ed. trans. Max Jordan, 6 vols. in 8 parts, Leipzig, 1870: 3:178. An annotated copy of the 1865 Pourtalès-Gorgier sale catalogue in the NGA Library indicates the buyer was Triqueti.
[3] According to Bernard Berenson, "A Botticelli Portrait in the Collection of Mr. Carl W. Hamilton," Art in America 10, no. 1 (December 1921): 29, who stated that he had seen the painting there "twelve or more years" earlier.
[4] The Baron's daughter, who married Comte Hubert de Pourtalès in 1890, was her father's sole heir. Edward Fowles (Memories of Duveen Brothers, London, 1976: 102-103, 134) discusses the original purchase agreement with Wildenstein and Seligmann for some of the works in the Schickler collection, and the subsequent agreement in 1922 that divided the works among the three dealers. Although Fowles indicates the sale took place in April 1919, the list of expenses for the painting in the Duveen Brothers Records show the purchase was made the next year (copy in NGA curatorial files; X Book, Reel 422 [see also Reel 45, Box 133, folder 1], Duveen Brothers Records, accession number 960015, Research Library, The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles).
[5] According to Fowles 1976: 127-129, a large collection of Italian paintings was offered on approval to Hamilton by 1920, but he did not purchase them and returned them to Duveen the following year.
[6] In the 1924 New York exhibition the painting was already exhibited as part of the Mackay collection. In 1930, as a consequence of the Depression, Mackay closed his mansion at Roslyn and began to sell his works of art with the assistance of Duveen Brothers (see Fowles 1976: 157). As Bernard Berenson, Italian Pictures of the Renaissance, Italian ed., trans. Emilio Cecchi, Milan, 1936: 90, still lists the picture as being in Roslyn, Duveen Brothers must not have acquired it by that year.
[7] The original Duveen Brothers in invoice is in Gallery Archives, copy in NGA curatorial files.
Associated Names
- Pourtalès-Gorgier, James-Alexandre, comte de
- Hôtel Drouot
- Triqueti, Henri-Joseph-François, baron de
- Lee-Childe, Baronne de Triqueti, Mme
- Schickler, Arthur de, Baron
- Pourtalès, Hubert de, Comtesse
- Wildenstein & Co., Inc.
- Arnold Seligmann & Cie.
- Duveen Brothers, Inc.
- Hamilton, Carl W.
- Mackay, Clarence H.
- The A.W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust
Exhibition History
1924
Loan Exhibition of Important Early Italian Paintings in the Possession of Notable American Collectors, Duveen Brothers, New York, 1924, no. 19 (no. 13 in illustrated 1926 version of catalogue).
1929
Loan Exhibition of Primitives, M. Knoedler & Co., New York, 1929, no. 5.
1930
Exhibition of Italian Art 1200-1900, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1930, no. 133a in 4th ed. of catalogue (no. 231 in commemorative catalogue published 1931; not in 1st ed. of catalogue or souvenir catalogue).
1935
Fifteenth Century Portraits, M. Knoedler & Co., New York, 1935, no. 11, repro.
2015
The Botticelli Renaissance (Berlin title) / Botticelli Re-Imagined (London title), Staatliche Museen zu Berlin; Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2015-2016, no. 163, repro. (painting lent to exhibition in Tokyo between Berlin and London venues).
2016
Botticelli and His Time, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, 2016 (painting withdrawn a month early for loan to exhibition in London).
Bibliography
1841
Dubois, Léon-Jean-Joseph. Description des tableaux faisant partie des collections de M. le Comte de Pourtalès-Gorgier. Paris, 1841: 4, as by Masaccio.
1869
Crowe, Joseph Archer, and Giovanni Battista Cavalcaselle. Geschichte der italienischen Malerei. 6 vols. Leipzig, 1869-1876: 3(1870):178.
1886
Crowe, Joseph Archer, and Giovanni Battista Cavalcaselle. Storia della pittura in Italia dal secolo II al secolo XVI. 11 vols. Florence, 1886-1908: 6(1894):298-299.
1903
Crowe, Joseph Archer, and Giovanni Battista Cavalcaselle. A History of Painting in Italy. 6 vols. Ed. Robert Langton Douglas (vols. 1-4) and Tancred Borenius (vols. 5-6). London, 1903-1914: 2(1911):269.
1905
Reinach, Salomon. Répertoire de peintures du moyen âge et de la Renaissance (1280-1580). 6 vols. Paris, 1905-1923: 6(1923):44, repro.
1911
Mireur, Hippolyte. Dictionnaire des ventes d’art faites en France et à l’étranger pendant les XVIIIme & XIXme siècles. 7 vols. Paris, 1902-1912: 3(1911):152, as by Botticelli. 5(1911):106, as by Masaccio.
1921
Berenson, Bernard. “A Botticelli Portrait in the Collection of Mr. Carl W. Hamilton.” Art in America 10, no. 1 (December 1921): 26-30, repro.
1923
Marle, Raimond van. The Development of the Italian Schools of Painting. 19 vols. The Hague, 1923-1938: 12(1931): 145-146.
1924
Offner, Richard. “A Remarkable Exhibition of Italian Paintings.” The Arts 5, no. 5 (May 1924): 248.
1925
Venturi, Adolfo. Botticelli. Rome, 1925: 51.
Yashiro, Yukio. Sandro Botticelli. 3 vols. London and Boston, 1925: 1:47-48. 3:pl. 204.
Valentiner, Wilhelm R. “The Clarence H. Mackay Collection.” International Studio 81, no. 339 (August 1925): 18, 335, 342-343, repro.
1926
Valentiner, Wilhelm R. The Clarence H. Mackay Collection. New York, 1926: 1, 3-4, no. 4, repro.
Fry, Roger E. “Sandro Botticelli.” The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs 48, no. 227 (April 1926): 199.
1927
Venturi, Adolfo. Botticelli. London, 1927: 56-57, pl. 89.
1929
Yashiro, Yukio. Sandro Botticelli and the Florentine Renaissance. London and Boston, 1929: 49, 243, no. 30, pl. 81.
Cortissoz, Royal. "The Clarence H. Mackay Collection." International Studio 94 (1929): 33, repro.
Singleton, Esther. Old World Masters in New World Collections. New York, 1929: 62, repro.
1930
Waldmann, Emil. “Die Italienische Austellung in der Royal Academy, London.” Kunst und Künstler 28 (1930): 246, repro.
1932
Berenson, Bernard. Italian Pictures of the Renaissance. Oxford, 1932: 104.
1933
Venturi, Lionello. Italian Paintings in America. 3 vols. New York and Milan, 1933: 2:pl.252.
1936
Gamba, Carlo. Botticelli. Milan, 1936: 164-165, fig. 138.
Berenson, Bernard. Pitture italiane del rinascimento. Milan, 1936: 90.
1937
Jewell, Edward Alden. "Mellon's Gift." Magazine of Art 30, no. 2 (February 1937): 79, repro.
Cortissoz, Royal._ An Introduction to the Mellon Collection_. Boston, 1937: 16-17.
Comstock, Helen. “The Mellon Collection: A National Art Gallery for America.” Connoisseur 99 (February 1937): 140, repro.
1938
Mesnil, Jacques. Botticelli. Paris, 1938: 226.
1941
Duveen Brothers. Duveen Pictures in Public Collections of America. New York, 1941: no. 101, repro.
Preliminary Catalogue of Paintings and Sculpture. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1941: 28, no. 19.
Richter, George M. “The New National Gallery in Washington.” The Burlington Magazine 78 (June 1941): 177.
1942
Book of Illustrations. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1942: 239, repro. 76.
Bettini, Sergio. Botticelli. Milan, 1942: 31-32.
1949
Paintings and Sculpture from the Mellon Collection. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1949 (reprinted 1953 and 1958): 20, repro.
1951
Einstein, Lewis. Looking at Italian Pictures in the National Gallery of Art. Washington, 1951: 44 n. 1.
1952
Cairns, Huntington, and John Walker, eds., Great Paintings from the National Gallery of Art. New York, 1952: 22, color repro.
1955
Pucci, Emilio. Botticelli nella opera e nella vita del suo tempo. Milan, 1955: 239.
1957
Chastel, André. Botticelli. Milan, 1957: 3.
1958
Salvini, Roberto. Tutta la pittura del Botticelli, 2 vols. Milan, 1958: 2:17, 44, pl. 24.
1963
Walker, John. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. New York, 1963 (reprinted 1964 in French, German, and Spanish): 300, repro.
Berenson, Bernard. Italian Pictures of the Renaissance. Florentine School. 2 vols. London, 1963: 1:38.
1965
Summary Catalogue of European Paintings and Sculpture. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1965: 17.
1966
Cairns, Huntington, and John Walker, eds. A Pageant of Painting from the National Gallery of Art. 2 vols. New York, 1966: 1:50, color repro.
Dalli Regoli, Gigetta. Lorenzo di Credi. Milan, 1966: 41 n. 5.
1967
Mandel, Gabriel. The Complete Paintings of Botticelli. Milan and New York, 1967: 98.
1968
National Gallery of Art. European Paintings and Sculpture, Illustrations. Washington, 1968: 10, repro.
Gandolfo, Giampaolo et al. National Gallery of Art, Washington. Great Museums of the World. New York, 1968: 28-29, color repro.
1972
Fredericksen, Burton B., and Federico Zeri. Census of Pre-Nineteenth Century Italian Paintings in North American Public Collections. Cambridge, MA, 1972: 34, 645.
1975
European Paintings: An Illustrated Summary Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1975: 36, repro.
De Logu, Giuseppe, and Guido Marinelli. Il ritratto nella pittura italiana. 2 vols. Bergamo, 1975: 1:160.
1976
Fowles, Edward. Memories of Duveen Brothers. London, 1976: 103.
Ettlinger, Leopold D., and Helen S. Ettlinger. Botticelli. London, 1976: 171.
1978
Lightbown, Ronald. Botticelli: Life and Work. 2 vols. Berkeley, CA, 1978: 1:114, pl. 43. 2:78-79, cat. B67.
1979
Shapley, Fern Rusk. Catalogue of the Italian Paintings. 2 vols. Washington, 1979: 1:79-80; 2:pl. 52.
Morse, John D. Old Master Paintings in North America: Over 3000 Masterpieces by 50 Great Artists. New York, 1979: 28.
1980
De Angelis, Rita. Boticelli: Every Painting. Milan and New York, 1980: 64.
Waterhouse, Ellis K. “Review. Catalogue of the Italian Paintings by Fern Rusk Shapley.” The Burlington Magazine 122, no. 930 (September 1980): 637.
1983
Castelfranchi Vegas, Liana. Italia e Fiandra nella pittura del Quattrocento. Milan, 1983: 197.
1984
Walker, John. National Gallery of Art, Washington. Rev. ed. New York, 1984: 97, no. 61, color repro.
1985
European Paintings: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1985: 55, repro.
1986
Simpson, Colin. Artful Partners: Bernard Berenson and Joseph Duveen. New York, 1986: 153.
1987
Samuels, Ernest, and Jayne Newcomer. Bernard Berenson: The Making of a Legend. Cambridge, MA, and London, 1987: 284.
1988
Baldini, Umberto. Botticelli. Florence, 1988: 177, 291-292, repro.
1989
Pons, Nicoletta. Botticelli: catalogo completo. Milan, 1989: 74, cat. 73
Lightbown, Ronald. Botticelli: Life and Work. Milan, 1989: 210, 213, pl. 83.
1990
Caneva, Caterina. Botticelli: catalogo completo dei dipinti. Florence, 1990: 105, repro.
1992
Testi Cristiani, Maria Laura. Botticelli. Paris, 1992: 48, fig. 28.
1993
Deimling, Barbara. Sandro Botticelli, 1444/5-1510. Cologne, 1993: 75.
1996
Tansey, Richard G. and Fred S. Kleiner. Gardner's Art Through the Ages. 10th ed. Fort Worth, 1996: 719-720, color fig. 21.56.
Castelfranchi Vegas, Liana. L’arte del Quattrocento in Italia e in Europa. Milan, 1996: 211.
1998
Capretti, Elena. Botticelli. Florence, 1998: 28, 43, repro.
2000
Wright, Alison. “The Memory of Faces: Choices in Portraiture.” In Giovanni Ciappelli and Patricia Lee Rubin, eds. Art, Memory, and Family in Renaissance Florence. Cambridge, 2000: 91, fig. 12.
2003
Boskovits, Miklós, David Alan Brown, et al. Italian Paintings of the Fifteenth Century. The Systematic Catalogue of the National Gallery of Art. Washington, 2003: 176-180, color repro.
Secherre, Helene. “The Dubois and Fauchet Collections: The Connoisseurship of Italian Primitives in Paris at the time of the First Empire.” Apollo 157 (2003): 21-22, repro.
2005
Cecchi, Alessandro. Botticelli. Milan, 2005: 268, repro.
Zöllner, Frank. Botticelli. Munich, London, and New York, 2005: 234, cat. 56.
2006
Körner, Hans. Botticelli. Cologne, 2006: 96, fig. 100.
2009
Acidini, Cristina, William Dello Russo, and Federico Poletti. Botticelli nel suo tempo. Milan, 2009: 168, 210, 277, repro.
Francini, Antonella. “Herbert Horne and an English ‘Fable’ for Botticelli.” In Rab Hatfield, ed. Sandro Botticelli and Herbert Horne: New Research. Florence and Syracuse, NY, 2009: 236, fig. 6.9.
2011
Christiansen, Keith, and Stefan Wepplemann, eds. The Renaissance Portrait from Donatello to Bellini. Exh. cat. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, 2011: 99, 144.
2014
Hoff, Michael. _ Andacht und Identität: Zur Darstellung Christi in der Malerei der Florentiner Frührenaissance_. Marburg, 2014: 115, fig. 61.
2019
Zambrano, Patrizia. "Sandro Botticelli and the birth of modern portraiture." In Ana Debenedetti and Caroline Elam, eds. Botticelli Past and Present. London, 2019: 19.
2021
Gianeselli, Matteo. “Sandro Botticelli et la France du XIX2 siècle: musées et collectioneurs.” In Ana Debenedetti and Pierre Curie, eds. Botticelli, artiste & designer. Exh. cat. Musée Jacquemart-André, Paris, 2021: 58.
Debenedetti, Ana. Botticelli: Artist and Designer. London, 2021: 211 n. 35.
2022
Acidini, Cristina. Botticelli. Pisa, 2022: 177, repro.
Wikidata ID
Q7232336