TITIAN (TIZIANO VECELLIO)
(c.1488/90 – Pieve di Cadore – 1576 – Venice)
Portrait of Alfonso d’Avalos, Marchese del Vasto, in Armor with a Page
Oil on canvas
110 x 80 cm.
140.3 x 115.3 cm framed.
Verso: upper left, white rectangular label, printed in black: “Réunion des musées nationaux Paris / LE SIECLE DE TITIEN / Galeries nationales du Grand Palais / 9 mars – 14 juin 1993 / Titre de l’œuvre / [written in black:] Portrait d’Alphonse d’Avalos. Titien / Propriétaire: [written in black:] Axa-Paris, Museo de Louvre (prêf). / No du Catalogue: / [written in black:] 166”; upper left, yellowed rectangular label, printed in black: “RÉUNION DES MUSÉES NATIONAUX / ORANGERIE DES TUILERIES / EXPOSITION [written in black:] Le Cabinet d’une Amateur / AUTEUR: [written:] Le Titien / Titre de l’œuvre: [written:] Portrait d’Alfonso de Avalos / Propriétaire: [written:] Marquis de GANAY / No du Catalogue:”; upper center, yellowed rectangular label, illegible red writing; upper right, white rectangular label, faded black circular stamp: “NAPOLI [?] GEZ [?] “; upper right, on stretcher and on canvas, black circular stamp: “DOUANE / [?]”; lower left, white rectangular label, printed in black: “THE J. PAUL GETTY MUSEUM / 1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1000, Los Angeles CA 90049-1687 / ID: 2003.486 / ARTIST: Titian (Tiziano Vecellio) / TITLE: Portrait of Alfonso d’Avalos, Marchese del Vasto, in Armor with a Page / DATE: probably January – February 1533 / MEDIUM: Oil on canvas / DIMS: Unframed: 110 x 80 cm (43 5/16 x 31 1/2 in.) / Framed: 140.3 x 115.3 x 11.4 cm (55 1/4 x 45 3/8 x 4 1/2 in.)”; lower right, white rectangular label, printed in black: “PRET D’AXA / TIZIANO(TITIEN) / PORTRAIT D’ALPHONSE D’AVALOS / ITALIE-VENISE / Hauteur: 1,10 / Largeur: 0,84”
Provenance:
From 1533 to 1546, the artwork was owned by Alfonso d’Avalos d’Aquino, 6th Marquis of Pescara and 2nd Marquis of Vasto (1502–1546), and was inherited in 1546 by his son, Francesco Ferdinando d’Avalos d’Aragona (1531–1571), 7th Marquis of Pescara and 3rd Marquis of Vasto. Upon Francesco’s death in 1571, it likely passed to his son, Alfonso Felice d’Avalos d’Aragona (1564–1593), 5th Marquis of Pescara and 5th Marquis of Vasto. The painting was later in the possession of John III Sobieski (1629–1696), King of Poland, and subsequently Stanisław August Poniatowski (1732–1798), also King of Poland. It may have been gifted to Count Stanislaus Augustus II Potocki (ca. 1751/1753–1805), from whom it passed by inheritance to Mieczysław Potocki, and remained within the Potocki family until Count Felix Nicholas Potocki (d. 1921) bequeathed it to Count Alfred Antoni Potocki (1886–1958) in 1921. In 1925, it was sold to Martine-Marie-Pol de Béhague, Comtesse de Béarn (1870–1939), who left it to her nephew, Marquis Hubert de Ganay (1888–1974) in 1939. Upon his death in 1974, the work was inherited by his sons Jean-Louis, André (1924–2018), Michel (1926–2013), Charles, and Paul de Ganay (1929–2009). In 1990, it was sold to AXA Œuvres d’Art, Paris, and then through Didier Aaron (Paris) to the J. Paul Getty Museum in 2003.