Alessandro de' Medici
Pontormo, (Jacopo Carrucci)·1534–35
Historical Context
Pontormo painted this portrait of Alessandro de' Medici in 1534-35, depicting the first Duke of Florence who was assassinated by his cousin Lorenzino in 1537. Alessandro, said to be the illegitimate son of Pope Clement VII, was the first Medici to hold an official hereditary title in Florence. Pontormo, one of the founders of Florentine Mannerism, creates a portrait of extraordinary psychological complexity, showing the young ruler with an intensity that borders on anxiety.
Technical Analysis
Pontormo's oil on panel demonstrates his distinctive Mannerist approach with the sinuous line and slightly acid coloring that characterize his mature style. The intense, searching characterization of Alessandro's face — rendered with tight, precise brushwork — creates a portrait of remarkable psychological power.
Provenance
Probably Cosimo I de’ Medici (d. 1574), Florence [it is almost certainly identical with the study described in Le vite de’ più eccellenti pittori, scultori e architettori scritte da Giorgio Vasari, ed. Gaetano Milanesi, vol. 6, Florence, 1881, p. 278]. William Ward (d. 1885), 1st Earl of Dudley, London, by 1854 [described by Waagen 1854, as by Pontormo]; his son William Humble Ward, 2nd Earl of Dudley, sold Christie’s, London, June 25, 1892, no. 46, as Giovanni Bellini for £180, to Durand-Ruel, acting on behalf of Martin A. Ryerson [annotated catalogue , Ryerson Library, and letter from Durand-Ruel to Ryerson, June 25, 1892 in AIC Archives]; Martin A. Ryerson (d. 1932), Chicago, from 1892; on loan to the Art Institute from 1930; bequeathed to the Art Institute, 1933.
