Santi di Tito, 1536 Sansepolcro/ Arezzo – 1603... Lot 220

Santi di Tito, 1536 Sansepolcro/ Arezzo – 1603 Florenz PORTRAIT OF AN ADULT WITH A CHILD Oil on wood. 153.8 x 103.5 cm. In an interior defined by an ochre wall, floor and curtain as such, and delineated to the right by a double balustrade to a hilly Italian riverscape, a young, richly dressed woman sits on an armchair holding a child by her hand, reflecting the wealth of the presumed mother in her dress. With great technical virtuosity in rendering detail, the tableau depicts two individuals in red amaranth damask robes adorned with an embroidered gold belt, inlays of pearls and gems, necklaces, and puffed sleeves. The noblewoman's hairstyle reveals her beautiful oval face and delicate features. On her hair is a precious tiara that holds together the light and tangible veil. The child holds her mother with her left hand, while in her right hand she holds a small bird. Through the curtained window on the right side of the canvas, one sees an indeterminate landscape dominated by blue and cold colors. Santi di Tito was one of the most influential figures in Florentine (and Tuscan) painting of the late 16th century. In Florence he trained in the workshop of Sebastiano da Montecarlo and was in direct contact with Agnolo Bronzino (1503-1572) and Baccio Bandinelli (1493-1560). He joined the San Luca Guild in 1554, but little is known of his early work, partly because his painterly character did not emerge until after a trip to Rome from 1558 to 1564, where he approached the classicism of Raphael's successors. At this time he began to work in the most important decorative enterprises of the period and made contact with Federico Zuccari (1561-1565), a fundamental meeting that led to the elaboration of anti-manierist reforms, which he introduced on his return to Florence. These reforms were proposed by the artist with incredible determination and left a strong impression on the local artistic environment of the time. The artist was welcomed by the Medici court and took an active part in the life of the Academy of San Luca, an involvement that can be exemplified by his work on the funeral apparatus for Michelangelo and his frescoes for the construction of the Temple of Solomon in the chapel of the Society of Santissima Annunziata. The first works of this phase show typical Roman conventions of form, although the painter soon simplified his style and returned to the compositional simplicity and sobriety of early sixteenth-century Florentine painting, combined with an intense and pious religiosity that followed the principles dictated by the Counter-Reformation. He maintained this form of "purism" throughout his career and in his later works, becoming an influential factor in Florentine painting until the arrival of Pietro da Cortona (1596-1669) in Florence. He also worked in the studio of Francesco I, where his paintings were strongly influenced by his formal choices. Santi di Tito studied in Florence and then moved to Rome, where he remained from 1560 to 1564, working with the Zuccari brothers Taddeo (1529-1566) and Federico (1539-1609), executing a fresco for the Palazzo Salviati, Rome, and contributing to the frescoes in the Casino di Pio IV and the Belvedere, Vienna, in the Vatican. Raffaello Borghini noted in 1584 that there were numerous portraits in Florence, including those of painters and sculptors, by the hand of Santi di Tito. According to Baldinucci, Santi di Tito's portraits were still very costly at the end of the 17th century, due to their lifelike depiction. (1291404) (13) Santi di Tito, 1536 Sansepolcro/Arezzo - 1603 Florence PORTRAIT OF A NOBLEWOMAN WITH CHILDOil on panel. 153.8 x 103.5 cm. Santi di Tito was one of the most influential figures in Florentine (and Tuscan) painting of the late 16th century. In Florence he trained in the workshop of Sebastiano da Montecarlo and was in direct contact with Agnolo Bronzino (1503-1572) and Baccio Bandinelli (1493-1560). Santi di Tito trained in Florence and then moved to Rome, where he was active from 1560 to 1564, working for the Zuccari brothers Taddeo (1529-1566) and Federico (1539-1609), created a fresco for the Palazzo Salviati, Rome and contributed to the frescoes in the Casino di Pio IV in the Vatican and in the Belvedere, Vienna.