Portrait of a Lady, probably Camilla Martelli de’Medici
- Artist
- Alessandro Allori, Italian, 1535–1607
- Date
- 1570s
- Material
- Oil on canvas mounted on board
- made in
- Florence, Tuscany region, Italy, Europe
- Classification
- Paintings
- Current Location
- On View, Gallery 236E
- Dimensions
- 27 x 23 1/4 in. (68.6 x 59.1 cm)
- Credit Line
- Bequest of Mary Plant Faust
- Rights
- Contact Us
- Object Number
- 9:2017
NOTES
This woman’s exquisite attire indicates her likely wealth and importance. Gold disks decorate the edge of her collar while rubies and emeralds adorn her hair. She wears an extravagant necklace with a large cut diamond and luxurious pearl. The fashion suggests the portrait was made in the 1570s. It is possibly a representation of Camilla Martelli, mistress and later second wife of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo I de'Medici. Unlike other portraits depicting individuals who themselves may have collected art or created a studioli, or private studies, Camilla herself would not have had access to such a study room. However, the Medici family had one of the most celebrated studioli in all of Italy.
Provenance
- 1855
Comte James Alexandre de Pourtalès-Gorgier (1776-1855), Paris, France
1865/03/27
In the sale of “Galerie Pourtalès: Tableaux Anciens et Modernes,” Paris, France [1]
Sedelmeyer Gallery, Paris, France [2]
by 1898 -
Rodolphe Kann, Paris, France [3]
by 1905 - 1926/05/18
Wildenstein & Company, Paris, France; New York, NY, USA [4]
1926/05/18 - 1996
Leicester Busch Faust (1897-1979) and Audrey Faust Wallace (1902-1991); St. Louis, MO, by gift; Mary Plant Faust (1900-1996), St. Louis, MO, by inheritance [5]
1997 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, bequest of Mary Plant Faust [6]
Notes:
[1] See sales catalog [“Catalogue des Tableaux Anciens et Moderenes, Dessins, qui composent les Collections de Feu M. le Comte de Pourtalès-Gorgier,” Paris, France, March 27, 1865, lot no. 23] The sale took place at the Comte de Pourtalès-Gorgier’s hôtel, 7, rue Tronchet. The painting sold as a Bronzino and described the painting accurately.
The painting is also listed by an illustrated Sedelmeyer Gallery catalogue from 1898 which states "from the Collection of Count Pourtalès, Paris, 1865" [Sedelmeyer, Charles. "Illustrated Catalogue of 300 Paintings by Old Masters." Paris: Sedelmeyer Gallery, 1898, p. 264, fig. 241].
[2] The Sedelmeyer Gallery published an illustrated catalogue in 1898 containing an image and description the painting as part "of the principal pictures which have at various times formed part of the Sedelmeyer Gallery." [Sedelmeyer, p. 264, fig. 241].
[3] The 1898 Sedelmeyer Gallery publication states that the painting left the Pourtales collection as of 1865 and was currently in in the Rodolophe Kann collection. [Sedelmeyer, p. 264, fig. 241].
A 1907 publication by Salomon Reinach of the Musee de Saint-Germain-en-Laye states the painting was formerly in the collection of Pourtalès and currently owned by Rudolphe Kann. [Reinach, Salomon. "Répertoire de Peintures du Moyen Age et de la Renaissance (1280-1580)." Saint-Germain-en-Laye: Musée de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, 1907. p. 193, fig. 13].
[4] Eliot Rowlands, of the Wildenstein & Co. stated "this painting is recorded in our pre-1905 ledgers" he also statesthe slae date of May 18, 1926 "is confirmed by an annotation on an old photograph in our files." According to Mr. Rowlands "Edward Faust bought the picture, partially in exchange for two paintings by 'Slevog and Diaz' from his own collection." [Email between Eliot Rowlands and Museum intern Mary Rose McFarland October 15, 2012, SLAM document files].
[5] An undated receipt from the Estate of Mary Plant Faust states that the painting was from "Wildenstein & Co., May 18, 1926" and then was "Given to L. Busch Faust and Audrey Faust Wallace, Easter 1926" [SLAM document files]. L. Busch Faust is Leicester Busch Faust, older brother to Audrey Faust Wallace. The painting was later inherited by Leicester's wife, Mary Plant Faust, upon his death in 1979.
The painting was loaned to the Museum in 1931 as indicated by a list featuring works the Fausts agreed to indefinitely lend to the Museum for exhibition beginning in December ["Catalogues, Special Exhibitions." Saint Louis: City Art Museum of Saint Louis, 1931-1933.]
[6] Although the painting was acquired by the Museum in 1997, it was not accessioned into the permanent collection. Minutes of the Collections Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, February 27, 1997.
Comte James Alexandre de Pourtalès-Gorgier (1776-1855), Paris, France
1865/03/27
In the sale of “Galerie Pourtalès: Tableaux Anciens et Modernes,” Paris, France [1]
Sedelmeyer Gallery, Paris, France [2]
by 1898 -
Rodolphe Kann, Paris, France [3]
by 1905 - 1926/05/18
Wildenstein & Company, Paris, France; New York, NY, USA [4]
1926/05/18 - 1996
Leicester Busch Faust (1897-1979) and Audrey Faust Wallace (1902-1991); St. Louis, MO, by gift; Mary Plant Faust (1900-1996), St. Louis, MO, by inheritance [5]
1997 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, bequest of Mary Plant Faust [6]
Notes:
[1] See sales catalog [“Catalogue des Tableaux Anciens et Moderenes, Dessins, qui composent les Collections de Feu M. le Comte de Pourtalès-Gorgier,” Paris, France, March 27, 1865, lot no. 23] The sale took place at the Comte de Pourtalès-Gorgier’s hôtel, 7, rue Tronchet. The painting sold as a Bronzino and described the painting accurately.
The painting is also listed by an illustrated Sedelmeyer Gallery catalogue from 1898 which states "from the Collection of Count Pourtalès, Paris, 1865" [Sedelmeyer, Charles. "Illustrated Catalogue of 300 Paintings by Old Masters." Paris: Sedelmeyer Gallery, 1898, p. 264, fig. 241].
[2] The Sedelmeyer Gallery published an illustrated catalogue in 1898 containing an image and description the painting as part "of the principal pictures which have at various times formed part of the Sedelmeyer Gallery." [Sedelmeyer, p. 264, fig. 241].
[3] The 1898 Sedelmeyer Gallery publication states that the painting left the Pourtales collection as of 1865 and was currently in in the Rodolophe Kann collection. [Sedelmeyer, p. 264, fig. 241].
A 1907 publication by Salomon Reinach of the Musee de Saint-Germain-en-Laye states the painting was formerly in the collection of Pourtalès and currently owned by Rudolphe Kann. [Reinach, Salomon. "Répertoire de Peintures du Moyen Age et de la Renaissance (1280-1580)." Saint-Germain-en-Laye: Musée de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, 1907. p. 193, fig. 13].
[4] Eliot Rowlands, of the Wildenstein & Co. stated "this painting is recorded in our pre-1905 ledgers" he also statesthe slae date of May 18, 1926 "is confirmed by an annotation on an old photograph in our files." According to Mr. Rowlands "Edward Faust bought the picture, partially in exchange for two paintings by 'Slevog and Diaz' from his own collection." [Email between Eliot Rowlands and Museum intern Mary Rose McFarland October 15, 2012, SLAM document files].
[5] An undated receipt from the Estate of Mary Plant Faust states that the painting was from "Wildenstein & Co., May 18, 1926" and then was "Given to L. Busch Faust and Audrey Faust Wallace, Easter 1926" [SLAM document files]. L. Busch Faust is Leicester Busch Faust, older brother to Audrey Faust Wallace. The painting was later inherited by Leicester's wife, Mary Plant Faust, upon his death in 1979.
The painting was loaned to the Museum in 1931 as indicated by a list featuring works the Fausts agreed to indefinitely lend to the Museum for exhibition beginning in December ["Catalogues, Special Exhibitions." Saint Louis: City Art Museum of Saint Louis, 1931-1933.]
[6] Although the painting was acquired by the Museum in 1997, it was not accessioned into the permanent collection. Minutes of the Collections Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, February 27, 1997.