Italian Silver Hand Painted Mini Portrait Bianca Cappello Medici Pendant Brooch

Description: Presented is a superb quality vintage hand painted miniature portrait set in a silver pendant/brooch. This is an Italian piece, dating to around the 1930s-1950s, and was painted by Leonia Fici, after a 16th century portrait of Bianca Cappello by Alessandro di Cristofano di Lorenzo del Bronzino Allori, trained by Mannerist painter Agnolo Bronzino. The painting is exceptionally well executed, particularly at such a miniature size, and is quite colorful and detailed. Surrounding the portrait is a border of foliate scrollwork and red glass or coral cabochons in little star or flower shaped settings. This piece has both a bail/loop at the top and a rollover style safety clasp in the back so it can be worn as a pendant or brooch, as you like. This piece is stamped 800 on the reverse for the purity of the silver. There is also an old business card of the artist Leonia Fici, Florentine miniaturista, with handwritten information on the back labeling this portrait as Bianca Cappello, Wife of Ferdinando II of Medici, by Bronzino. (Though I believe she was in fact the wife of Francesco I.) This piece is in great condition. The portrait is clean and has no losses to the paint. The filigree and red accent stones are in great shape. The clasp functions well and closes securely. This piece weighs 10.1 grams. The pendant measures about 2 1/8 inches long including the loop/bail at the top, and about 1 1/2 inches wide. -jm Powered by SixBit's eCommerce Solution

Price: 241.87 USD

Location: Essex, Massachusetts

End Time: 2025-01-17T01:10:24.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD