Portrait of a Couple explained

Portrait of a Couple
Wikidata:Q98923690
Artist:Niccolò dell'Abbate
Year:between 1537 and 1540
Medium:oil painting on canvas
Movement:Italian Renaissance
Portrait painting
Subject:Giulio Boiardo, count of Scandiano, and his wife, Silvia Sanvitale
Height Metric:76
Width Metric:64
Dimensions Ref:[1]
Metric Unit:cm
Museum:Musée des Beaux-Arts
City:Strasbourg
Accession:1914

Portrait of a Couple is a portrait painting by Italian Renaissance artist Niccolò dell'Abbate, dated to  1537–1540. It is now in the Musée des Beaux-Arts of Strasbourg, France. Its inventory number is 641.[2]

The painting depicts the count of Scandiano,, of the, and his wife, Silvia Sanvitale. It was bought in 1914 for the museum by Wilhelm von Bode with an attribution to Dosso Dossi, and that attribution (to Dossi or his circle) was maintained until 1997. Only since that date is the painting attributed with certainty to a young dell'Abbate, who painted it in Modena at the time when he was also working on other commissions for the Boiardo's palace, the . The former title of the painting was A Duke of Ferrara and his Wife.[1] [2]

The double portrait of the count and countess is most unusual in that the emphasis is very much placed on the wife, who is depicted in the act of closing a book that she was just reading, while her husband almost timidly approaches from behind. It appears as a testament to Giulio Boiardo's admiration and love for Silvia Sanvitale's strong intellect and personality.[1] [2]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Roy . Alain . De Giotto à Goya. Peintures italiennes et espagnoles du musée des Beaux-Arts de Strasbourg . June 2017 . Musées de la ville de Strasbourg . 978-2-35125-151-5 . 152–153.
  2. Web site: Portrait de deux époux (Giulio Bojardo, seigneur de Scandino et son épouse Silvia Sanvitale); Portrait présumé d'un duc de Ferrare et de son épouse (ancien titre) . Base Joconde . 5 September 2020.