Artwork
Portrait of a Youth
Portrait of a Youth is an oil painting by the Early Renaissance artist Agnolo di Domenico del Mazziere. It dates from 1498 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
These details establish the work's identification and historical trajectory but do not elaborate further on symbolic or iconographic interpretation.
The work titled Portrait of a Youth portrays a young male sitter, as indicated by the title and its classification as a portrait within the corpus. The subject is presented in a conventional Renaissance portrait format, emphasizing the individual's appearance without additional allegorical attributes; no symbolic elements are documented in the provided sources. The painting's provenance records its movement from the Netherlands to American collectors before its acquisition by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, after which it entered the National Gallery of Art's collection.
These details establish the work's identification and historical trajectory but do not elaborate further on symbolic or iconographic interpretation.
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in oil on a wooden panel that has been transferred to canvas, providing a stable support for the composition.
Its dimensions are approximately 51.5 cm in height by 34 cm in width, indicating a modest scale typical of early 16th‑century portraiture.
As a portrait, the work employs the conventions of Renaissance portraiture, using restrained modeling and a direct gaze to convey presence.
The paint layer consists of oil pigments applied with a brush, creating a smooth surface that retains fine detail.
History & Provenance
Created around 1500, the Portrait of a Youth is an oil painting on panel (later transferred to canvas) by Agnolo di Domenico del Mazziere. The work's documented history begins at the Château de Nijenrode in the Netherlands, owned by Onnes van Nijenrode. It was sold at a Frederick Muller auction in Amsterdam on July 10, 1923, where it was incorrectly attributed to Pintoricchio.
By 1926, the Duveen Brothers held the painting in their London, New York, and Paris offices before selling it to Ernst Rosenfeld of New York in May 1928. Rosenfeld lent the piece to a 1929 exhibition at the Knoedler Galleries and retained it until 1936. The Duveen Brothers reacquired the work after 1936 and sold it to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation in 1938. The foundation subsequently gifted the painting to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1939.
The Portrait of a Youth is housed in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., where it forms part of the Samuel H. Kress Collection after being gifted by the foundation in 1939. Prior to entering the museum, the panel passed through the hands of Onnes van Nijenrode, was sold via Duveen Brothers to Ernst Rosenfeld in 1928, and was lent by Rosenfeld to a 1929 exhibition at Knoedler Galleries. No additional exhibition history is documented in the supplied sources.
Overview
Agnolo di Domenico del Mazziere, an Italian painter from the Early Renaissance, created Portrait of a Youth around 1498. This oil painting, originally on a wooden panel before being transferred to canvas and a solid support, presents a direct gaze from a young man. The work exemplifies the portraiture prevalent during the late 15th century, reflecting the artistic trends of the period.
Context
Agnolo di Domenico del Mazziere, also known by his earlier designation as the Master of Santo Spirito, was an active figure in the Florentine art scene during the Early Renaissance. He ran a prominent workshop in Florence alongside his brother, Donnino. Their collaborative practice contributed to the vibrant artistic environment of the city, producing paintings and drawings that captured the era's evolving styles.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Agnolo di Domenico del Mazziere
Agnolo di Domenico del Mazziere (1466–1513), formerly known as the Master of Santo Spirito and sometimes wrongly referred to as Agnolo di Donnino, was an Italian painter and draughtsman of the Early Renaissance.
