Artwork
Count Giacomo Durazzo in the Guise of a Huntsman with His Wife
Count Giacomo Durazzo in the Guise of a Huntsman with His Wife is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Martin van Meytens. It dates from 1760 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Count Giacomo Durazzo is shown in the guise of a huntsman alongside his wife, a composition that merges aristocratic portraiture with pastoral symbolism.
Count Giacomo Durazzo is shown in the guise of a huntsman alongside his wife, a composition that merges aristocratic portraiture with pastoral symbolism. The painting presents the count in a game‑keeper’s attire, holding a rifle, while his spouse appears in a modest dress, accompanied by a dog that signals fidelity and domestic harmony. Such iconography reflects 18th‑century ideals of noble virtue derived from outdoor pursuits and the display of familial unity.
By positioning the couple within a cultivated landscape, the work underscores the Durazzo family’s cultivated status and their alignment with Enlightenment notions of enlightened leisure. The portrait thus conveys both social rank and the moral values associated with hunting and marital partnership.
History & Provenance
The painting was created by Martin van Meytens in 1760, executed in oil paint on canvas. It depicts Count Giacomo Durazzo, the principal subject, alongside his wife and a dog in a portrait format. The work is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains located.
The sources do not provide additional details regarding the circumstances of its commission, the chain of ownership prior to its museum acquisition, or any intermediate provenance history.
The painting Count Giacomo Durazzo in the Guise of a Huntsman with His Wife is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Created by Martin van Meytens in 1760, the work is cataloged within the museum's holdings as an oil on canvas portrait. While the specific inventory or accession number is not detailed in the provided records, the institution confirms the artwork's presence in its collection.
The piece depicts Giacomo Durazzo and his wife, featuring the main subject alongside a dog, and measures 228.9 cm in height by 190.5 cm in width. No specific exhibition history or past loan records are documented in the available sources, limiting the historical context to its current institutional location and physical attributes.
Overview
This oil painting, titled "Count Giacomo Durazzo in the Guise of a Huntsman with His Wife," presents a double portrait set within a natural landscape. The work depicts a prominent couple, with the male figure adopting a costumed persona, while his companion holds a small animal. The composition combines formal portraiture with elements of a more relaxed, outdoor scene, suggesting a blend of aristocratic representation and personal leisure.
Technique & Style
The painting features a lush, verdant forest backdrop, complete with trees and a winding stream, which provides a serene setting for the sitters. The rich colors of the couple's garments stand out against the natural greens and browns of the landscape. The relaxed postures of both individuals, particularly the woman's gentle hold on her pet, convey a sense of ease and informality within the otherwise grand context of a commissioned portrait.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Martin van Meytens (24 June 1695 – 23 March 1770) was a Swedish-Austrian painter who painted members of the Royal Court of Austria such as Marie Antoinette, Maria Theresa of Austria, Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor, the…
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