CONSTANTINA COLTELLINI (Fl.1803-1819)
Portrait miniature of a Young Gentleman holding a book in his left hand and leaning on a chair back
1807
8.7 cm (3 ³/₈ inches)
Watercolour on ivory
Gold frame (585 / 14k gold)
Signed and dated, ‘Coltellini 1807’
SOLD
Records on Constantina Coltellini are scarce and her surviving works are also few. The Coltellini family were from the Tuscan port city of Livorno (often called Leghorn in English). Her father, Marco Coltellini (1724-1777) initially joined the church before he began work in the print trade to support his growing family. He had a great interest in opera, later becoming a librettist and even taking to the stage himself. Constantina was one of four artistic daughters, of whom the most well-known was Celeste (1760-1828), an opera singer who rose to considerable fame across Eurpoe. Her other sisters, Anetta and Rosina, were also a singer and painter respectively.
Constantina is said to have lived in Florence where she was elected a professor at the Academy of Design Arts in 1781. An inscription on an 1837 print after her portrait of Neapolitan composer Domenico Cimarosa (1749 –1801) [Municipal Library of Trento, GI 1 v. c 96-040] gives her name as ‘Signora Coltellini’ - her title here used as an honorific of her professional rather than marital status.
Coltellini’s earliest extant miniature can be found in the collection of Museum Rotterdam: a portrait of Jean-Baptiste baron Olivier (Strasbourg 1765 - Witternesse 1813), which is signed and dated 1803 [inv. no. 11398]. Other known miniatures depict sitters of various nationalities including British, American and numerous prominent Italian figures. Both her sister, Celeste and father (who died in suspicious circumstances in St Petersburg) travelled and it may have been that Constantina took her trade abroad also. Or perhaps, like her earlier Venetian counterpart, Rosalba Carriera (1673-1757), Constantina was visited in her native country by tourists on a European Grand Tour.
Coltellini’s miniatures can be of variable quality and the present work is outstanding in its sophistication. As one of her best-preserved examples, it showcases a delicate stippling in the flesh of the face and hands, masterfully contrasted with the technique used on the clothing and background. This flattering modelling of the sitter’s features is complemented by the highly fashionable hairstyle ‘a la Titus’ and swaggering pose - he appears to be sat astride a chair, in a startlingly casual attitude that would have been unseemly in a formal oil portrait. This informal composition would only be captured in the miniature format, and no doubt part of a flirtatious exchange with the intended recipient of this miniature.
Christie's, London, 20 March 1989, lot 23.
shipping notice
Worldwide shipping is included in all prices.
The Limner Company does not accept any responsibility for import duty, this is to be paid by the buyer.
Some stock items contain materials from endangered species which are governed by CITES regulations and will require a permit to export outside of Great Britain. If a certificate of export is required then this will be the responsibility of and paid for by the buyer .
shipping notice
The item added to cart contains materials from endangered or protected species. The Limner Company cannot arrange for the delivery of artworks containing ivory,
tortoiseshell, or mother of pearl outside of the UK due to import restrictions. The buyer or designated agent may collect the property in the country of sale.
You are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of any items made from or containing certain endangered or protected species (such as ivory, tortoiseshell, or mother of pearl), while other countries will require a permit (e.g. a CITES licence). Such permits must be obtained from the relevant regulatory body in both the country of importation and exportation. If you intend to import such items into another country you should familiarise yourself with the relevant customs regulations and laws before purchase. Delays or refusal of import or export of such works shall not permit cancellation of a sale. It is your responsibility to satisfy any laws or regulations applying to the import or export of any work containing such protected species. For further information on the protected species listed please visit the CITES website:http://www.cites.org/. For further information about import and export regulations please visit:http://www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla-en/imports-exports/cites/. On request, the Company can assist with or apply for a license on your behalf.
Please contact us to discuss shipping options..
checkout details
Your basket exceeds the allowed online transaction limit of £10,000. Please remove an item from your basket to continue to checkout. Successive online sales totalling £10,000 are also prohibited. Please get in touch if you would like to move forward with the purchase in accordance with anti-money laundering regulation.
Under the terms of the anti-money laundering regulation we are required to conduct customer due diligence (CDD) on all sales of works of art over £10,000 before the transaction is carried out. While therefore we may agree to such a sale in principle, we will not be able to conclude (i.e. receive funds, give up possession or transfer title) it until we have received all the necessary CDD information from you and have been able to verify it as required by the regulation.
shipping TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Worldwide shipping is included in all prices.
The Limner Company does not accept any responsibility for import duty, this is to be paid by the buyer.
See Section 7.5 in Terms & Conditions for information on export/import regulations.
Please contact us to discuss shipping options.
Some stock items contain materials from endangered species which are governed by CITES regulations and will
require a permit to export outside of Great Britain. If a certificate of export is required then this will be
the responsibility of and paid for by the buyer.
See Section 7.5 in Terms & Conditions for information on export/import regulations.
Please contact us to discuss shipping options.
you may also like