(Bologna 1734–1804) Portrait of a bearded man, oil on canvas, 50.1 x 38 cm, framed

Certificate: Prof. Donatella Biagi Maino (July 2009) The painting is fascinating because of the sitter’s physical presence and the swiftness and confidence of the broad brushwork with which the artist has rendered the face, whereas all the other details are only cursorily indicated. This suggests that this portrait is a sketch done from life. Gaetano Gandolfi, who is considered the last major exponent of the Bolognese School, created several head studies of that type for various purposes. Several examples, including the present one, were classified as works of art “sui generis”, due to their great technical virtuosity, while others were classified as allgories (D. Biagi Maino, Gaetano Gandolfi, Turin 1995, p. 367, nos. 85–88, III, 99–102) or were identified as character studies; a comparatively small number served as preliminary studies for larger paintings. The present painting was certainly not used as a preparatory work; it rather seems to be a character study or simply a virtuoso piece dating from Gandolfi’s maturity. A comparably liberally executed head study was sold at Sotheby’s, London, on 7 July 2005 as lot 39.