The ''Portrait of Bindo Altoviti'' is a painting finished around 1515 by the Italian

High Renaissance In art history, the High Renaissance was a short period of the most exceptional artistic production in the Italian states, particularly Rome, capital of the Papal States, and in Florence, during the Italian Renaissance. Most art historians stat ...

painter

Raphael Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), now generally known in English as Raphael ( , ), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. List of paintings by Raphael, His work is admired for its cl ...

. It is housed in the

National Gallery of Art The National Gallery of Art is an art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, located on the National Mall, between 3rd and 9th Streets, at Constitution Avenue NW. Open to the public and free of charge, the museum was privately established in ...

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

, D.C., United States. Bindo Altoviti, a wealthy banker born in Rome in 1491 of Florentine descent, was a cultured man with a strong appreciation for the arts. The subject's graceful, almost effeminate pose, combined with the pronounced contrast between light and shadow, is atypical of Raphael’s portraits of men. This painting demonstrates Raphael’s experimentation with different styles during his later period in Rome, where he was heavily influenced by Leonardo work, which he studied closely. This influence is particularly evident in this piece. The painting remained with Altoviti's descendants until 1808, when it was sold to

Ludwig I of Bavaria Ludwig I or Louis I (; 25 August 1786 – 29 February 1868) was King of Bavaria from 1825 until the German revolutions of 1848–49, 1848 revolutions in the German states. When he was crown prince, he was involved in the Napoleonic Wars. As ki ...

. It then resided at the

Alte Pinakothek The Alte Pinakothek (, ''Old Pinakothek'') is an art museum located in the Kunstareal area in Munich, Germany. It is one of the oldest galleries in the world and houses a significant collection of Old Master paintings. The name Alte (Old) Pin ...

until 1936, when, following considerable debate over its attribution, it was removed from Nazi Germany by "canny English dealers". Acquired by Samuel Henry Kress, the portrait subsequently became property of the

collection in Washington, D.C. A bronze bust of Altoviti by

Benvenuto Cellini Benvenuto Cellini (, ; 3 November 150013 February 1571) was an Italian goldsmith, sculptor, and author. His best-known extant works include the ''Cellini Salt Cellar'', the sculpture of ''Perseus with the Head of Medusa'', and his autobiography ...

is exhibited in Boston at the

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is an art museum in Boston, Massachusetts, which houses significant examples of European, Asian, and American art. Its collection includes paintings, sculpture, tapestries, and decorative arts. It was found ...

References

External links

*
Catalogue record for the painting at National Gallery of Art
{{Raphael 1515 paintings Bindo Paintings in the National Gallery of Art Bindo Raphael Rooms 1510s paintings Ludwig I of Bavaria Oil on panel paintings Portraits of men

See also

References

Further reading

External links