Portrait of a young girl holding a goldfinch, with a dog at her side,
oil on canvas, 101.5 x 83.6 cm, framed

Provenance:
European private collection

The present painting, executed with a loose technique and bright colors, can be attributed to one of the artists who specialized in portraiture and was active in Florence at the beginning of the 17th century for the Medici court.

This portrait lacks specific attributes or inscriptions, and the sitter remains unidentified, nonetheless it displays a series of elements which are recurrent in the art of portraiture of the period.

The young girl wears a red costume and a white apron adorned with lace. She holds a goldfinch in her hand, which is a Christian symbol associated with the Passion of Christ, and therefore considered a “saviour” bird. The sitter wears a coral necklace and bracelets: coral was believed to ward off illness and provide good luck and was fashioned into children’s jewelry at the time.

Unlike many portraits of children from the 16th or 17th century, which depict the sitter with somber or distant expression , the present painting is lively and cheerful. The composition is enlivened by a rich palette, particularly the red tones of the dress with golden stripes and the curtain.