Circle of Giuseppe Bonito, Portrait of Charles of Bourbon as King of Naples, Oil on Canvas, Framed

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Circle of giuseppe bonito (castellammare di stabia, 1707 – naples, 1789). “portrait of charles of bourbon as king of naples.” … Read more Circle of giuseppe bonito (castellammare di stabia, 1707 – naples, 1789). “portrait of charles of bourbon as king of naples.” oil on canvas. Relined. Has a 19th-century frame. Dimensions: 102.5 x 80 cm; 118 x 93.5 cm (framed). This work follows the model of the portrait “charles of bourbon, king of the two sicilies,” painted in 1745 by giuseppe bonito, which currently belongs to the collection of the prado museum in madrid. The work shows charles iii dressed in military uniform, with a helmet placed on the table and holding the baton of command in one hand. In the prado painting, the background opens up to the landscape, while in this case, greater attention is focused on the figure, which is clearly defined against a neutral background. In this painting, charles iii is depicted in three-quarter view, closely following the brilliant artistry of the neapolitan rococo style, one of whose leading figures was giuseppe bonito. Bonito's influence is evident in the satiny color of the sumptuous velvet coat, the gold thread brocade, and the delicate lace on the sleeves. The subject's face, with its subtly rosy complexion, conveys an aristocratic personality befitting his status. Giuseppe bonito was one of the most influential neapolitan painters of the 18th century. A pupil of francesco solimena, he nevertheless soon gravitated towards the delicate rococo style. It was his portraits that opened the doors of the neapolitan court to him, along with numerous commissions for altarpieces and frescoes for churches. As court painter, in 1741 he painted a remarkably realistic portrait of the ottoman sultan's embassy in naples, a canvas that was immediately sent to madrid and is now in the prado museum. Around 1745, he painted charles vii of the two sicilies, the future charles iii of spain, and his wife, queen maria amalia of saxony, in separate portraits also held in the prado museum. Particularly noteworthy is the portrait of the infantes ferdinand and gabriel, which hangs in the palace of caserta. Painted shortly before the proclamation of ferdinand, then only eight years old, as king of naples, it depicts them in their study, compass in hand and before a globe. In 1751 he was appointed court painter, member of the academy of saint luke in rome in 1752, director of the newly created academy of fine arts of naples in 1755 and director of the royal tapestry factory of naples, for which he provided series of cartoons of an allegorical and literary nature, including the first cartoons of a series of illustrations of don quixote woven between 1758 and 1779 for the royal palace of caserta. See less