Description
This painting is a preliminary study of Alessandro de’ Medici that Jacopo da Pontormo and his workshop could consult during the creation of larger, formal portraits. Born the illegitimate child of Pope Clement VII and an enslaved African woman named Simonetta, Alessandro was appointed Duke of Florence in 1529. Known as “il Moro” (the Moor), then a common descriptor for people of African descent, his attempts to centralize authority fueled his reputation as a shrewd but tyrannical ruler. His short-lived reign ended with his assassination at his cousin’s hand.
Provenance
Probably Cosimo I de’ Medici (d. 1574), Florence [it is almost certainly identical with the study described in Le vite de’ più eccellenti pittori, scultori e architettori scritte da Giorgio Vasari, ed. Gaetano Milanesi, vol. 6, Florence, 1881, p. 278]. William Ward (d. 1885), 1st Earl of Dudley, London, by 1854 [described by Waagen 1854, as by Pontormo]; his son William Humble Ward, 2nd Earl of Dudley, sold Christie’s, London, June 25, 1892, no. 46, as Giovanni Bellini for £180, to Durand-Ruel, acting on behalf of Martin A. Ryerson [annotated catalogue , Ryerson Library, and letter from Durand-Ruel to Ryerson, June 25, 1892 in AIC Archives]; Martin A. Ryerson (d. 1932), Chicago, from 1892; on loan to the Art Institute from 1930; bequeathed to the Art Institute, 1933.
Accession Number
110759
Medium
Oil on panel
Dimensions
35.3 × 25.8 cm (13 7/8 × 10 1/8 in.); Framed: 47.7 × 42 × 6.1 cm (18 3/4 × 16 1/2 × 2 3/8 in.)
Classification
oil on panel
Credit Line
Mr. and Mrs. Martin A. Ryerson Collection
Background & Context
Background Story
Pontormo's Alessandro de' Medici is a portrait of the Duke of Florence. Pontormo (1494-1557) was a leading Florentine Mannerist known for his elongated figures and expressive style. This portrait captures the duke with the elegance and psychological intensity characteristic of Mannerist portraiture.
Cultural Impact
Pontormo was a master of Mannerist portraiture, known for his psychological depth.
Why It Matters
This portrait of Alessandro de' Medici captures the intensity of Mannerist portraiture.
