Portrait of a Man, possibly Daniele Barbaro three quarter length in a dark ermine trimmed robe,
oil on canvas, 140 x 110 cm, framed

Literature:
A. Venturi, Tre ritratti inediti di Tiziano, in: L’Arte, January 1937, pp. 54–55, fig. 1, ill. (as Titian);
H. E. Wethey, The paintings of Titan, Bd. II, The portraits, London 1971, p. 71 (all wrong attributions)

Documentation:
Letters in photocopy from G. Fiocco 1933, A. Venturi 1936 and A. Porcella 1937 (as Titian)

It has been tentatively suggested that the present portrait may depict Daniele Barbaro (Venice 1514-1570) the patron and theorist. The ermine robe depicted in the present painting could have been the sort of clothing Daniele Barbaro might have worn on his embassy to England in 1548-50.

The hills in the background are reminiscent of the area around the Villa Barbaro at Maser. However none of the structures in the present portrait appear to have any recognisable resemblance to the present buildings on the estate at Maser, though there was an earlier villa on the site, so if the portrait were executed before circa 1556 it could possibly represent the previous family seat at Maser.

We are grateful to Deborah Howard for her help in cataloguing this lot.