Ask the Scholar

Although the identity of this sitter is uncertain, she may be the sister of Subleyras's wife Maria Félice. Maria Félice was a miniaturist and the daughter of the musician Giovanni Battista Tibaldi. A portrait of her by Subleyras can be found at the Worcester Art Museum, Massachusetts, and forms an interesting comparison with this work as there is a distinct family resemblance. Maria Félice's sister, Giovanna, married a rich lawyer named Domenico Bagnara. Her elevated social status would account for the opulence of fur trimmed dress and jewelry in this portrait.Subleyras enjoyed the support and favor of some of the most distinguished patrons in Rome, where he went in 1728 after winning a scholarship from the French Academy. He spent the rest of his prosperous career in Italy, receiving important commissions from the church and the state. Subleyras was also in great demand as a portraitist, whether by papal officials, aristocrats, or his fellow artists. His skill at convincingly rendering sumptuous fabrics and glittering gems is abundantly evident in this work.The work has been dated to ca. 1739. In the summer of that year François de Detroy arrived in Rome, and this work shows knowledge of the French artist's work.