Bust of Marino Grimani

Alessandro Vittoria was the leading sculptor of Venice during the late 16th century. He was particularly famous for his elegant portrait busts of Venetian dignitaries carved in the ancient style. His marble bust of Marino Grimani, elected doge (head of the Venetian Republic) in 1595, is now in the Palazzo Venezia, Rome. This terracotta was apparently produced in the workshop to fill the demand for other versions; doges often needed multiple, less expensive versions of official portraits. Though the modeling is somewhat simplified, it conveys the artist's style. With a toga over a tunic of Venetian brocade, Marino Grimani has chosen to be represented as a modern version of an imperial Roman official. The dark coloring of the terracotta is intended to make it resemble bronze.

Provenance

Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.

Count Gregoire Stroganoff (Grigorii Sergeevich Stroganov), Rome, prior to 1911, by purchase [cat. 98]; Henry Walters, Baltimore [date of acquisition unknown], by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.