Italian Painter (second Half Of The 18th Century) - Portrait Of An Elderly Man With An Aphorism

Italian painter (second half of the 18th century) - Portrait of an elderly man with an aphorism.

92 x 68 cm.

Oil on canvas, without frame.

The painting bears an inscription on the open book: «Nel mondo ci sono più pazzi che savi, quei pochi savi hanno nel cervello più pazzia che saggezza» ("In the world there are more fools than wise men, and the few wise men have more folly in their brains than wisdom").

The work depicts an elderly man shown half-length, dressed in a red embroidered robe, holding an open book displaying the legible inscription. The sitter looks toward the viewer with a slightly ironic expression. The dress and the inkwell visible on the lower edge suggest a man of standing, likely a man of letters or a public official. The aphorism is traditionally associated with Nicolas Chamfort (1741–1794), the French moralist known for his satirical wit. The pictorial execution, with the flat treatment of the red robe and the summary handling of the dark background, is consistent with Venetian portrait production of the second half of the 18th century.

Condition report: Relined canvas. Good state of conservation of the pictorial surface, with oxidation of the varnish.

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Notice to non-Italian buyers: This work has not yet obtained the certificate of free export from Italy, issued by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, which certifies that the work does not belong to Italy’s cultural heritage and may therefore be freely exported. Regulations effective from 2026 provide for reduced processing times for works with a declared value of less than €50,000, determined at the discretion of the expert commission: on average 2–3 weeks from the submission of the request. All costs related to this procedure are included in the price.

Disclaimer Rendering: The setting images are generated using AI for illustrative purposes and may not reflect the actual proportions of the artwork.