Giovanni Francesco Penni
, Italian, c.1488-c.1528
Title
Portrait of a Young ManDatec.1525
MediumOil on wood panel
Dimensions
52 x 41 cm
Signedlower left: G. Fran/ Penni
Credit LinePurchased, 1939
Object numberNGI.1018
DescriptionFor a long period this picture was regarded as a self-portrait. This was found to be incorrect, however, after the discovery of a drawing by Giulio Romano revealing the real features of Penni. While the identity of the sitter has returned to anonymity, the quality of the portrait remains undiminished. The favourite pupil of Raphael, Penni assisted him in all the major works executed in the Vatican. Penni's portraits are not numerous, but they are always remarkable.This portrait shows a young gentleman, probably in his late 20s, elegantly dressed in black. Baldassare Castliglione, in The Book of the Courtier (1528), offers an account of the fashionable colours used by his contemporaries: 'Black apparel is more becoming than any other colour, but if the clothes are not black they should be at least of a dark colour'. In the picture the physiognomy of the sitter appears carefully studied. A light beard outlines the oval face, and the mouth is precisely drawn with a pronounced upper lip, while the eyes look directly at the observer.
(National Gallery of Ireland: Essential Guide, 2008)
ProvenanceEarl of Lincoln, London; purchased, Christie's, London, 11 March 1939, lot 43 Exhibition HistoryRoma e lo stile classico di Raffaello, Palazzo Te, Mantova, 20 March - 30 May 1999
From Raphael to the Carracci: The Art of Papal Rome, National Gallery of Canada, 29 May - 6 September 2009
Label TextPenni trained under Raphael, and became an important member of his workshop in Rome. He assisted Raphael on his major commission to decorate the Vatican Palace in Rome and, following Raphael’s death in 1520, he completed the artist’s unfinished commissions. Penni's commitment to the workshop of Raphael means that only a handful of paintings can be attributed to him. He included his signature in this rare portrait of an unknown sitter, signed on the piece of paper lying beneath a red book on the table. The direct gaze of the sitter, and the stark contrast between the illuminated face and dark clothing, make this an arresting portrait.