Catalogue Roberti Fine Art, TEFAF Maastricht 2026 (1) compressed - Flipbook - Page 87
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SCHOOL OF THE VENETO,
CIRCA 1585–1595
Portrait of a military noble wearing the Order of the
Golden Fleece and the Habit of Malta
oil on copper, oval
8.4 x 6.8 cm.
PROVENANCE
Private collection, Rome.
The portrait depicts a mature military nobleman dressed in austere Spanish court black with a full
cartwheel ruff characteristic of the late sixteenth century. Suspended from a plain gold chain is the
pendant of the Golden Fleece, the curled ram’s skin clearly articulated, emblem of the most
prestigious dynastic order of the Habsburg world. Conferred sparingly, the decoration signified
close alignment with Spanish imperial authority and distinguished service. Woven directly into the
black mantle, meanwhile, is the white eight-pointed cross of the Order of Malta, asserting sacredmilitary identity rather than mere decorative affiliation. The combination of these two insignia
places the sitter within a highly restricted category of Spanish-aligned aristocratic commanders
active across the Mediterranean.
The carefully delineated facial structure and direct gaze of the sitter recall the work of Paolo
Apollodoro (1531-1612), known as il Porcia, who was active in Padua, mostly as a portraitist.
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