Giuseppe Barbaglia (1841-1910) - Ritratto Borghese

Giuseppe Barbaglia
(Milan, October 10, 1841 – Santa Maria della Selva, Vedano al Lambro, March 23, 1910)

Nationality: Italian
Italian painter, exponent of Lombard Scapigliatura.
Pupil of Giuseppe Bertini at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts.
Specialized in portraits and genre scenes.

Winner of the Canonica Prize in 1872 with the work Fanciulle al bagno. Author also of famous portraits (including Giuseppe Verdi and Giuseppe Garibaldi) and of religious works such as Cristo nel Getsemani.

Title of the work

Male portrait

Date / Period
1898

Technique and support
Oil on canvas

Dimensions

Unframed artwork:
Height 63.5 cm × Width 46 cm

Framed artwork:
Height 90 cm × Width 72 cm
Overall depth (with frame):
8 cm

Attribution
Giuseppe Barbaglia – signed and dated by the artist

Signature / Inscriptions
Signed and dated at the bottom left in red:

“G. Barbaglia, 1898”.
The signature features a characteristic intertwined “G” with the “B” of the surname, an element consistent with known autograph signatures of the artist.

Provenance
Italian private collection.

Documentation
No certificate or expert report available at the moment.

Conditions

Good overall state of preservation.
Original canvas on an old wooden stretcher, nailed
Original contemporary goldwood frame
Natural patina of time present
Surface varnish oxidized
Slight signs of wear consistent with the age of the work
No known structural restoration

"The frame visible in the photo is included as a courtesy and is not an integral part of the artwork. Any damage to the frame will not be grounds for complaints or order cancellations."

Historical-artistic notes

The painting constitutes a significant example of Giuseppe Barbaglia’s mature portraiture, created during the artist’s period of full activity. The work reflects the academic approach learned at Brera combined with a psychological sensibility typical of Lombard Scapigliatura, evident in the subject’s introspective rendering and in the sober color palette.
The presence of the original contemporaneous frame and the antique stretcher further help confirm the authenticity of the work and increase its collectible and museum value.