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Description: | Moroni was one of the greatest Italian portrait painters of the sixteenth century. Son of the architect Andrea Moroni, he trained under Moretto in Brescia and worked mainly in his hometown of Albino and in nearby Bergamo. His depictions of Bergamo's aristocratic and merchant classes are remarkable for their psychological penetration, dignified air and silvery tonality. 'His portraits also have an uncanny realism. The onlooker is seemingly observed by the inhabitants of sixteenth century Northern Italy, warts and all, their finely drawn countenances looking out from the pictures with sharp even unwelcoming glances. Moroni allowed the character of the sitter to dominate and his portraits are personal and vivid'. Giovanni Battista Moroni: 400th Anniversary Exhibition, National Gallery, London, 1978-79. Another version of this portrait exists, Portrait of a Nobleman (Sale American Art Association, New York 27-28 Jan 1916). Although the sitter is not identified as Lucollo Soardi, it is clearly an identical portrait, although extended to three-quarter length. Perhaps this was also the original composition of the Burnley work, which is described as having been cropped along the bottom edge. Lucollo Soardi was from an old noble family in Bergamo. Lucollo is described by Sansovino as 'a brave and wise knight' who served as a lieutenant to his brother Pietro Jacamo in the French Wars of Religion. Around 1570 he commanded 1,000 foot soldiers, offered to the Venetian Republic for the war in Cyprus, but when peace was signed with the Turks the undertaking was abandoned. | Subjects: | portrait (Locullo Souardi) | Source: | Vads | Creator: | Artist: Moroni, Giovanni Battista (Italian painter, ca.1525-1578) Æ Attributed to | Identifier: | http://www.vads.ac.uk/large.php?uid=8369... | Go to resource |
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