Bartolomeo Nazari, Circa 1735–1740 Portrait Of Don Franco Billotta,

Portrait of gentleman Lombardo. This one is represented seated in his study on a theatrical background enhanced by curtains embraced with elegant folds of taupe color, bust turned slightly to the right, face facing, directed towards the spectator. He is dressed in a long, very tight-fitting jacket in midnight blue velvet enhanced with hooks double-padded with gold thread, over a partially unbuttoned leotard in turquoise blue silk with gold gallons and buttons over a white silk shirt with fine immaculate crop; all draped in a purple cape. His posture and haughty face tell us more about his character traits, ambitious and authoritarian. It features a massive face with deep, light green eyes, a massive nose, a thin mouth, a clear forehead, and a rounded chin. Her features are asserted by a perfectly powdered wig as strict as it is imposing.

Deciphering the letter on the desk, written in Italian-Lombardo, gives the following indications: All'illmo Sig.re Seg. E Pres. – Il Sig.re.IC Don Franco Billo-tta deSignore Abbati e decurioni della Città di Pavia. (translation) To the very illustrious lord secretary and president, the illustrious horseman Franco Billotta of Messrs. Abbati and Decurioni of the city of Pavia.

Oil on canvas of rectangular shape, stretched on the frame by keys, set in its gilded wooden frame decorated with acanthus spandrels.

Dimensions: Frame height 118cm, width 95cm (46.5 inches by 37.4) – Chassis height 96cm, width 73cm (37.8 inches by 28.2).

Attributed to Bartolomeo Nazari (1693–1758): An Italian portrait painter active in Venice, Bergamo, and the Lombardy region.
The attribution to Bartolomeo Nazari is supported by the following observations:
1: The face is constructed using soft, relatively broad swaths of color, with a warm skin tone and modeling that is not overly fragmented. 2°: The eyes, eyebrows, and mouth are rendered with greater graphic precision than the large areas of the garment. 3°: The hands are deliberately simplified: a few brushstrokes suffice to suggest the fingers and volume. 4°: The costume is organized into large, dark masses, while the brushwork focuses on the embroidery, braiding, buttons, and gilded ornaments. 5°: The color palette combines deep red, black, white, blue-green, and gold, with a clear aim to create a ceremonial effect. Conclusion: The work as a whole presents an interesting synthesis between the realistic Lombard tradition of Bergamo and a more international elegance, in line with Nazari’s output during the 1730s–1740s.

Comparable documented portraits: Portrait of Vincenzo Querini, circa 1735, housed at the Museo Correr in Venice, Italy, in the Magistrate’s Galleries. Portrait of the singer Faustina Bordoni, circa 1734, housed at the Handel House Museum in London. Portrait of Farinelli, signed and dated 1734, housed at the Royal College of Music Museum in London.
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