Spanish school (XIX) - Ritratto antropomorfo
11
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19
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38
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19
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Starting bid
€ 1
Reserve price not met
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Selected by Giulia Santoro
Specialised in 17th century Old Master paintings and drawings with auction house experience.
Estimate € 1,800 - € 2,200
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Description from the seller
19th-Century Spanish School
“ Anthropomorphic Portrait ”
Oil on canvas, period 1800/1850
Presentation of the painting
The painting depicts an anthropomorphic portrait of a dog, probably a bulldog or a small Molosser, portrayed with a solemn bearing and dressed according to Renaissance or late 16th-century fashion. The animal wears a sumptuous red damask suit, enriched by a white ruff and a long chain with a pendant, elements typical of official noble portraiture.
The pose, strongly theatrical, recalls models of status portraiture: one paw rests on the chest in a gesture of dignity and self-awareness, while the other holds a fan or a ceremonial object. The animal’s face, rendered with extraordinary naturalistic attention, preserves a melancholy and questioning expression that heightens the sense of estrangement.
The background is divided between an open landscape and a dark drape, a classical solution that recalls official painting from the Cinquecento to the Seicento and that helps place the subject in a realm of power and representation. The rendering of fabrics, embroidery, and painting surfaces, however, suggests an otto-century realization, when the rediscovery of antique painting often intertwined with a taste for learned caricature and moral allegory.
The work fits into an iconographic tradition that uses the humanized animal as a satirical mirror of society. The dog, an ambivalent symbol of fidelity, obedience but also attachment to power, becomes here the protagonist of refined visual irony: the nobility of the portrait is both celebrated and questioned.
As a whole, the painting appears as a cultivated jeu d’esprit between the past and parody, capable of fusing technical skill, historical quotation, and subtle critique of social codes. An work that dialogues with the European painting tradition and invites the viewer to reflect on the fragile boundary – always unstable – between identity, representation, and mask.
Dimensions: 70 x 58.5 cm in period frame
Canvas: 60 x 50 cm
Coming from private collection
Condition: Good, with normal signs of aging -
* the existing frame is included as a courtesy
Ideal for collecting and investment
With a certificate of authenticity in accordance with the law - Expertise
Professional packaging and insured shipping
Seller's Story
Magnolia Arte is a company that deals with the buying and selling of artworks. Each piece is carefully selected for its artistic quality and emotional impact. In fact, Magnolia Arte believes that every work of art is a piece of cultural history, useful for understanding our present. The economic value and investment are considered secondary aspects compared to artistic and historical-cultural value. Magnolia Arte is a reference point for the auction sale of ancient, modern, and contemporary art. Magnolia is a place of art. Art enthusiasts will find professionalism and expertise here.
Translated by Google Translate19th-Century Spanish School
“ Anthropomorphic Portrait ”
Oil on canvas, period 1800/1850
Presentation of the painting
The painting depicts an anthropomorphic portrait of a dog, probably a bulldog or a small Molosser, portrayed with a solemn bearing and dressed according to Renaissance or late 16th-century fashion. The animal wears a sumptuous red damask suit, enriched by a white ruff and a long chain with a pendant, elements typical of official noble portraiture.
The pose, strongly theatrical, recalls models of status portraiture: one paw rests on the chest in a gesture of dignity and self-awareness, while the other holds a fan or a ceremonial object. The animal’s face, rendered with extraordinary naturalistic attention, preserves a melancholy and questioning expression that heightens the sense of estrangement.
The background is divided between an open landscape and a dark drape, a classical solution that recalls official painting from the Cinquecento to the Seicento and that helps place the subject in a realm of power and representation. The rendering of fabrics, embroidery, and painting surfaces, however, suggests an otto-century realization, when the rediscovery of antique painting often intertwined with a taste for learned caricature and moral allegory.
The work fits into an iconographic tradition that uses the humanized animal as a satirical mirror of society. The dog, an ambivalent symbol of fidelity, obedience but also attachment to power, becomes here the protagonist of refined visual irony: the nobility of the portrait is both celebrated and questioned.
As a whole, the painting appears as a cultivated jeu d’esprit between the past and parody, capable of fusing technical skill, historical quotation, and subtle critique of social codes. An work that dialogues with the European painting tradition and invites the viewer to reflect on the fragile boundary – always unstable – between identity, representation, and mask.
Dimensions: 70 x 58.5 cm in period frame
Canvas: 60 x 50 cm
Coming from private collection
Condition: Good, with normal signs of aging -
* the existing frame is included as a courtesy
Ideal for collecting and investment
With a certificate of authenticity in accordance with the law - Expertise
Professional packaging and insured shipping
Seller's Story
Magnolia Arte is a company that deals with the buying and selling of artworks. Each piece is carefully selected for its artistic quality and emotional impact. In fact, Magnolia Arte believes that every work of art is a piece of cultural history, useful for understanding our present. The economic value and investment are considered secondary aspects compared to artistic and historical-cultural value. Magnolia Arte is a reference point for the auction sale of ancient, modern, and contemporary art. Magnolia is a place of art. Art enthusiasts will find professionalism and expertise here.
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Artist
Spanish school (XIX)
Sold with frame
Yes
Title of artwork
Ritratto antropomorfo
Technique
Oil painting
Signature
Not signed
Country of Origin
Spain
Year
1850
Condition
Good condition
Height
70 cm
Width
58.5 cm
Period
19th century
Sold by
