Young Man Playing a Violin

1 July 1950, sold [then attributed to Angelo Caroselli] by Count Alessandro Contini-Bonacossi (Rome and Florence, Italy) to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation (New York, NY); September 1961, gifted to the University of Wisconsin-Madison; 1967, transferred to the Elvehjem Art Center [now called Chazen Museum of Art].

• Journal of the American Viola Society, Fall 2008, vol. 24, no. 2 cover
• Macmillan Publishers. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. London: Macmillan Publishers
• Bini, Annalisa, Claudio Strinati and Rossella Vodret. "Colori della Musica: Dipinti, strumenti e concerti tra Cinquecento e Seicento." Milano: Skira editore, 2000 23, 30, 164, 165, 25
• Sadie, Julie Anne, Editor and Compiler, "Companion to Baroque Music". no. 24
• "SchoolsMusuemsART (SMART) Project." Madison, WI: Madison Metropolitan School District, 2002.
• Elvehjem Museum of Art. "Handbook of the Collection." Elvehjem Museum of Art, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Madison, 1990. no. 33

• Musica Picta: Santa Cecilia e l'imago musicae tra Cinque e Seicento: ArtificioSkira, 12/15/2000–6/15/2001
• Samuel H. Kress Study Collection of Italian Renaissance Art: Memorial Union, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 11/23/1959–11/30/1961

This portrait depicts a single figure from the waist up against a solid, dark brown background. The figure’s right side (on the left half of the canvas) is illuminated by a soft light. The figure’s left side (on the right half of the canvas) is in shadow. The figure wears an ornate uniform and hat while holding a red-brown violin in their left hand. The violin rests slightly below the figure’s collarbone in a loosely held playing position, angled toward the left side of the frame. The figure fingers a note on the neck of the violin with their left hand, while their right arm bends at the elbow and holds a short bow across the strings. The subject of the portrait has pale, smooth skin and short, golden-brown curly hair beneath a dark cap. Their expression is neutral or at rest. The figure’s eyes look slightly down and to the left, away from the violin. Their gaze is dark under the shadow of their eyebrows. Their dark red lips form a slight pucker. The figure’s attire includes a jacket and a headpiece. The jacket is a deep red fabric with a soft sheen resembling satin or velveteen. The wrist of the jacket on the right arm has four large gold cords parallel to its hem. The same cording repeats on the front of the jacket with matching button closures. Additionally, four bows of yellow-gold ribbon accent the seam of the jacket’s right shoulder. The cap features a gold medallion on the front, with large red and white feathers folding toward the figure’s face.

• Europe
• Paintings
• Samuel H. Kress Collection
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