Govanni Serodine, Portrait of young man, oil on canvas, 30×40 cm. Foto: Pinacoteca cantonale, Giovanni Züst, Rancate.
By Fabrizo Dassie, Milano.
“The Inedited Portrait of a Young Man” (Oil on canvas, 30×40 cm) by Giovanni Serodine (Ascona 1600-1631 Rome) has not always been a recognized work of art by one of the most important painters of the European baroque, before it arrived at the Museo Cantonale di Züst (Ticino), but a painting with changing identities.
Here is the story:
At a sale of the Dorotheum in Vienna in April 2014, the portrait was first attributed to the cercle of the French artist Claude Vignon (Tours 1593-1670 Paris). The rather low estimate of 4000 – 6000 Euro rose to 40 000 Euro at the last bid. The new owner brought his painting to New York where it was offered at an auction at Sotheby’s in January 2015 as Roman School of the early 17th century with an estimate of 50 000 – 70 000 USD. It remained unsold and was aquired after the sale by the present owner. Meanwhile, the painting has been identified as work by Giovanni Serodine. This was quite a sensation, as the artist died young and not many of his paintings are preserved. It is not an executed portrait but rather an “esercicio modello” 1), a model of a head which could be used as detail for any of his future paintings. At the curator’s request, the owner kindly loaned the painting to the exhbition,
In less than one year, after a long journey, the portrait, which as been a “sleeper” arrived at the Canton Ticino, the master’s homeland. The visitor’s can now appreciate the new discovery. The painting is in good company with the other masterpieces of the exhibition. As this story shows, with knowledge, a trained eye and a little luck you still can have good opportunities.
You can see the painting here:
Serodine in Ticino, at Pinacoteca Züst in Rancate from May 31 to October 4
1) Scoperto un nuovo dipinto di Serodine, Giornale del popolo, 28.05.2015.
Fabrizio Dassie is an independent art consultant, researcher and curator for italian old master paintings from XIII° to XVIII° Century in Milano and works among others for the Pinacotheca Ambrosiana in Milano and various auction houses.
You can follow him on Twitter:
@dasfabry
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