Hartford’s Wadsworth Atheneum has acquired a piece of art by one of the most celebrated female painters of the 18th century.
In 2021, the Wadsworth presented an exhibition of works by female Italian artists, By Her Hand: Artemisia Gentileschi and Women Artists in Italy, 1500–1800. The exhibit included works by the Venetian painter Rosalba Carriera (1675-1757).
The exhibit was a huge success, said Oliver Tostmann, Susan Morse Hilles Curator of European Art at the Wadsworth.
“I looked at our visitors and how they reacted to artists like Rosalba,” Tostmann said. "There was this very intense interaction going on. Very unusual. People became really fascinated by her works.”
Soon after the exhibition, the Wadsworth started searching for a Rosalba painting to add to their permanent collection. A dealer in Italy connected the museum with a private collector who at the time was reluctant to part with Rosalba’s 1730 work, “Portrait of a Gentlemen.” Earlier this year, the collector agreed to sell the work to the Wadsworth for an undisclosed amount.
Rosalba was one of the most celebrated artists of her time, male or female. Her studio in Venice was busy, as aristocrats and wealthy patrons across Europe lined up for a sitting with the artist. When she opened a studio in Paris, she became a full-fledged celebrity. Her mastery of pastel painting would influence generations of future artists.
“She was really able to create nuances, she was able to create a real resemblance of the sitter with pastel, which she then applied on blue paper,” Tostmann said.
Tostmann calls the painting ravishing. What stood out for him was the size of “Portrait of a Gentlemen,” close to 2 feet tall and 18 inches wide.
“It’s a sizable portrait,” Tostmann said. “Size truly matters with pastels. Rosalba usually painted her portraits in a smaller format, and reserved a larger format for her most important patrons. These are extremely rare.”
The identity of the man in the portrait is unknown. According to the Wadsworth, there has been speculation over the years about the identity of the subject. It was first believed to be the legendary art collector Pierre Crozat. Later there was speculation that the portrait was of Louis Armand II de Bourbon, Prince de Conti. Regardless of exactly who sat for the portrait, Tostmann said Rosalba perfectly captured the essence of his personality, another trademark of the painter.
“What struck me from the very first moment is this incredible calmness that the sitter exudes,” Tostmann said. “You can see his power, and his magnificence. He knows exactly who he is. He doesn’t need to prove anything. And Rosalba wonderfully captured that.”
This is the first painting by Rosalba Carriera in the museum’s permanent collection.
