Carlo Francesco Nuvolone

(Milan 1609–1662)
A portrait of a nobleman, full-length, in a red and gold embroidered doublet with a broad lace collar, wearing the cross of the Order of Malta, a cane in his right hand and a hound at his side,
oil on canvas, 210 x 140 cm, framed

Provenance:
possibly collection of the Grimani family, Palazzo Grimani, Venice;
with Colnaghi, London, 1920;
sale, Christie’s, London, 14 May 1920, lot 73, (as Justus Sustermans,
34 gns. to Collings);
Mrs. Ruby Irene Fleischmann (1881-1970) collection, London and Moreton-in-Marsh, Cotswold;
sale, Christie’s, London, 10 December 1937, lot 101 (as Justus Sustermans);
sale, Christie’s, London, 21 April 2004, lot 64 (as Circle of Claude Deruet);
European art market;
where acquired by the present owner

We are grateful to Filippo Maria Ferro for suggesting the attribution of the present painting on the basis of a photograph.

Carlo Francesco Nuvolone, a pupil of the thriving workshop led by his father Panfilo, quickly emerged with his fresh talent, synthesising the lessons of Giovanni Battista Crespi, known as Il Cerano, while also engaging with the stylistic trajectory of Giulio Cesare Procaccini and drawing inspiration from the innovations of Morazzone. Between 1645 and 1655, Carlo Francesco developed a pictorial language that, while influenced by European models such as Van Dyck and Murillo, is distinguished by the characteristic softness of the Lombard Baroque tradition. He produced numerous portraits of knights and military figures belonging to Spanish-ruled Lombardy, aiming to depict and perpetuate a set of values and sentiments: political power, loyalty to the Spanish Empire, military virtues, honor, and the nobility of the depicted lineages (see L. Brignoli, Un ritratto d’uomo d’armi di Carlo Francesco Nuvolone, in: Valori Tattili, vol. 19, January – June 2022, pp. 35–41). Among this body of works are the Portrait of a Man-at-Arms from the Koelliker Collection, the Portrait of Don Diego de Ollauri, as well as the portraits of Captain Giovanni Visconti, Giovan Battista Lauro, and Don Juan José of Austria. This strong adherence to the genre is further evidenced by Nuvolone’s remarkable self-portrait, depicted playing the mandola, within the Portrait of the Nuvolone Family in Concert, now conserved in the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan (inv. no. 00684255), a painting executed in collaboration with his younger brother Giuseppe (see F. M. Ferro, Nuvolone. Una famiglia di pittori nella Milano del ’600, Cremona 2003).

An exemplary work, and a significant addition to Carlo Francesco Nuvolone’s catalog, is the present portrait of an elegant military figure dressed in a sumptuous ‘parade’ outfit of vibrant red, adorned with refined embroidery. Beside him, on a table, are several distinctive accessories, including a red bag and a hat, while at his feet rests a suit of armour, ready to be donned for battle, and a faithful dog stands by his side. The sitter wears a hairstyle in accordance with contemporary fashion, with long hair and meticulously groomed mustache, and bears the insignia of the Order of Malta. Furthermore, he holds a letter close to his chest, possibly linked to a military or diplomatic mission. The portrait is accentuated by the official format characteristic of the so-called ‘state portraits’, all distinguished by the luxurious and opulent quality of their attire.