Bartolomeo Passarotti

Paul H. Ganz, New York
Sale: Sotheby's, New York, June 4, 1987, lot 20 (sale of the Estate of the above)
Acquired at the above sale by A. Alfred Taubman

Giovanna Poletti, “Alcuni ritratti inediti di Bartolomeo Passerotti e i manoscritti di Marcello Oretti ad esso relativi,” in Antologia di Belle Arti, 25-26, 1985, p. 86, illustrated no. 6
Angela Ghirardi, in Vera Fortunati (ed.), “Bartolomeo Passerotti,” in Pittura bolognese del ‘500, Bologna, 1986, vol. II, p. 546, illustrated p. 570
Corinna Höper, Bartolomeo Passarotti, Worms, 1987, vol. II, p. 57, no. G43, illustrated no. 9b
Angela Ghirardi, Bartolomeo Passerotti, Pittore (1529-1592), Rimini, 1990, p. 248-249, no. 75, illustrated p. 248, no. 75

The following condition report has been provided by Alain Goldrach of Goldrach Restorations LLC., 122 East 92nd Street, New York, NY 10128, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. The painting,in beautiful condition, was relined in the past to tend to two damages on the left side of the painting, along the edge. At top left, a network of tears and an insert of canvas fluoresces under ultra-violet light. Along the left edge and through the pile of books, a tear running about 4" with associated losses fluoresces weakly under U-V Otherwise the painting is in lovely state of preservation and requires no further restorations.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

This arresting portrait by Bartolomeo Passarotti depicts the Spanish nobleman, Don Lope Varona and was painted circa 1579-1580.  Passarotti had by this time firmly established himself as the foremost painter in his native city of Bologna.  The direct naturalism with which he captured the likenesses of his sitters made his portraits immensely popular and their sense of immediacy and spontaneity endures even today.

Don Lope Varona graduated from the Spanish College in 1573 and, after a period studying law in Salamanca, was appointed Rector of the institution in 1579 (A. Ghirardi Bartolomeo Passerotti..., Rimini, 1990, p. 248).  That same year he was simultaneously employed at the University of Bologna and is listed in the Annuario della Regia Università di Bologna as Rector from 1579 to 1580 (Annuario della Regia università di Bologna, Bologna 1887, p. 249).  Don Lope’s coat-of-arms (fig. 1) can still be seen among those decorating the reading rooms of Bologna's Biblioteca Comunale dell’Archiginnasio, along with an inscription referring to his tenure there (C.G. Forni and G.C. Pighi, Le iscrizioni dell’Archiginnasio, Bologna, 1962, no. 200).  Don Lope would be last to retain the position of Rector at the university.  The role was by now a symbol of the antiquated Studio regime, a reminder which both the papal authorities and City of Bologna were glad to be rid of (A. Ghirardi, op. cit.)  Don Lope, meanwhile, was destined for greater things and in 1588 was appointed by King Philip II of Spain to a high ranking position in Sicily, a territory then under Spanish rule (C. Malagola, “Serie dei Rettori e dei Vice Rettori, reggenti e pro-reggenti nel Antico Studio e nella moderna Università di Bologna”, in Monografia storico dello Studio bolognese, Bologna, 1888, p. 204).

It was likely Don Lope’s appointment at the University of Bologna that occasioned the commission of this portrait from the city’s preeminent artist, and the painting is certainly characteristic of works from this period.  From the 1570s onward, Passarotti’s portraits took on a distinctly mannerist quality and were typically composed in three-quarter length.  The sitter is often turned to one side and shown holding a letter, reaching toward a dog or gesturing to an assemblage of objects, indicative of the person’s position or character.  Don Lope’s portrait is no exception: he stands with one hand resting on the elaborately worked hilt of his sword, an affirmation of his noble status, and the other resting on one of a number of books piled on the table beside him, signifying his erudition.