Self-portrait with the printmaker Matthias Oesterreich

Pier Leone Ghezzi (Italian, 1674–1755)

1751

Medium/TechniquePen and brown ink over black chalk on paper

DimensionsSheet: 31.43 x 23.02 cm (12 3/8 x 9 1/16 in.)
Mount: 48.26 x 35.08 cm (19 x 13 13/16 in.)

Credit LineGift of Jessie H. Wilkinson—Jessie H. Wilkinson Fund

Accession number2008.648

On View

Not on view

ClassificationsDrawings

Collections

InscriptionsIn pen and brown ink, l.l.: Parti de Roma per Dresda il qui espresso Sr. Matteo/ alli 2 de ottobre 1751; l.r.: Ritratto del Sig. Cavalier Ghezzi; on mount: Sig. Cav. Ghezzi con un suo amico, che gli presenta scritture

ProvenanceFrom one of three volumes of Ghezzi caricatures (I, fol. 1) assembled for Charles VII, King of Naples, who probably took them to Spain when he became King as Charles III in 1759; by descent in the Spanish Royal collection: Charles IV (reigned 1788-1808), who abdicated to Joseph Bonaparte (reigned 1808-13), who abdicated to King Ferdinand VII (reigned 1813-33); seized by the Duke of Wellington along with other works of art from the baggage of Joseph Bonaparte, June 21, 1813; declared an official gift to Wellington by Ferdinand VII, 1814; by descent in Apsley House (London) to the seventh Duke of Wellington; sold after his death to David Carritt (London), 1971, who disbursed the contents; Robert M. Light (Santa Barbara, CA), about 1971; from whom purchased by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (Accession Date: September 17, 2008)