About the Portrait

T he artist of this portrait is Pompeo Girolamo Batoni. Born in 1708 to a goldsmith in Lucchese, he became involved in art at an early age and earned a reputation among the locals for being a great engraver of precious metals. In 1727, he left his home for Rome where he began his serious studies in art. Soon he became known for his talent in copying Classical sculptures and was sought after by aristocratic patrons as a Classical painter (Brigstocke). In the 1740s, he was commissioned by the church to paint altarpieces and it was there, in Rome, where he encountered Grand Tourists. Between 1750-1760, he produced 60 British portraits and created a reputation as one of the best for the likeness of his portraits. His style was vivid and precise. It usually had the sitter engaged in a leisurely pose with an open Classical setting, surrounded by antiquities (Bowron 38). This gave the sitter an sophisticated and refined quality. The identity of this sitter is still unknown; however, based on the elaborately embroidered suit, many assume that he was most likely a French aristocrat on the Grand Tour.

Pompeo Girolamo Batoni (Italian, 1708-1787). Portrait of a Young Man, c. 1760-65. Oil on canvas; 246.7 x 175.9 cm (97 1/8 x 69 1/4 in). New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 03.37.1. Rogers Fund, 1903. Source: The Met

The sitter is wearing a typical French three-piece court suit, like the one in figure 3, as decreed by King Louis XIV. He wears a red silk velvet long coat with wide cuffs and gold embroidery on the edges in the front and on the sleeves with matching gold buttons for closure. Underneath that he wears a white silk waistcoat similar to the one in figure 4 with matching gold embroidery and buttons for closure. He pairs it with fitted red silk velvet breeches with a belted gold ribbon trim and matching gold buttons vertical from the closure. Underneath that, he wears white stockings and black leather shoes with a decorative gold buckle strap. He also is seen wearing a sword on his hip, a lace jabot and black cravat around his neck and an undershirt with lace sleeves. The costume was most likely made by a male tailor and acquired in a shop where the sitter was measured to create a personalized fit.

Most men of the eighteenth century wore powdered wigs like our sitter. It was a mark of social status and became essential for full dress occasions. The powder was made of a finely ground starch and could be scented with orange flower or lavender root (Wikipedia). This costume was mandated by the court in France and was mainly worn by male aristocrats such as the one depicted in figure 5. It was considered formal attire, but also could have been worn by those in a leisure setting such as the Grand Tour, especially when sitting for a portrait. In the late 17th century, Western European style had changed and became more fitted for men. For example, the men depicted in figures 1-2 are seen wearing similar garments from this period which fit the popular styles worn at the time. We can tell from the sitter’s style that he is a high noble by the use of elaborate and ornamental gold details throughout his whole outfit. The deep, wide cuff of our sitter’s coat, referred to as a ‘boot-cuff’ sleeve (Fig. 6) was in fashion from 1725 to 1735, some thirty years earlier than the assigned date given to Portrait of a Young Man.

Diagram of referenced dress features. Image: Author.