Italian Medici Oil Portrait After Gian Paolo Pace Circa 1871

Italian Medici Portrait After Gian Paolo Pace Circa 1871

Giovanni Delle Bande Nere – 19th Century Italian School Watercolour

Highlights

19th-century Italian School

After Gian Paolo Pace, detto l’Olmo

Giovanni delle Bande Nere (1498–1526)

Watercolour

Possibly Florence, circa 1871

Historic inscriptions verso

Fine pierced Florentine giltwood frame

Cheffins Fine Art provenance

Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution

Introduction

A historic 19th-century Italian watercolour depicting Ludovico de’ Medici, known as Giovanni delle Bande Nere, the celebrated Renaissance condottiero and father of Cosimo I de’ Medici.

Cheffins Fine Art catalogued the portrait as After Gian Paolo Pace, detto l’Olmo. It follows the celebrated Renaissance image of Giovanni in profile wearing polished armour and resting his hand upon his military helmet.

The portrait is presented beneath glass within an elaborate pierced Florentine giltwood frame decorated with scrolling foliage and shell motifs.

Catalogue Details

Artist / School: Italian School

Attribution: After Gian Paolo Pace, detto l’Olmo

Date: 19th century, possibly circa 1871

Sitter: Giovanni delle Bande Nere

Medium: Watercolour

Signature: Unsigned

Frame: Pierced Florentine giltwood

Catalogue Note

The composition derives from the celebrated Renaissance portrait type associated with Gian Paolo Pace and the Uffizi collections in Florence.

Giovanni delle Bande Nere was one of the great military figures of Renaissance Italy. His son Cosimo I subsequently became first Grand Duke of Tuscany, making Giovanni an important ancestor of the grand-ducal Medici dynasty.

Historic Inscription

Handwritten inscriptions survive verso, including wording appearing to read “Firenze 1871”.

This may indicate Florence and the year 1871, although it is conservatively recorded as an historic inscription rather than definitive proof of origin or date.

Provenance

Private collection.

Historic inscriptions verso.

Cheffins Fine Art, Cambridge, The Fine Sale, 26 March 2025, Lot 185, catalogued as After Gian Paolo Pace, detto l’Olmo, Portrait of Ludovico de’ Medici, known as Giovanni delle Bande Nere (1498–1526), watercolour.

Acquired from the above sale.

Curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®.

Dimensions

24.5 cm high x 23 cm wide x 2.5 cm deep.

Condition Report

Good historic condition. Age-related foxing and staining with minor localised surface loss. Frame with rubbing, scuffs, cracking and localised losses commensurate with age. Glass present.

Worldwide Shipping

Professional packing and insured worldwide shipping available.

Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution

The artwork will be supplied with a Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution issued by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®, recording the artwork’s catalogue details, attribution, provenance as stated, and details of the sale. This document accompanies the work as part of its ongoing ownership and provenance record.

Delivery shipping information

Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD ship worldwide, using fully insured and online tracked delivery services like DHL, DPD, Parcelforce or Fedex also the British Shop. We offer Free national Delivery to England mainland, Wales mainland & Scottish lowland mainland areas only.

We offer Free UK mainland delivery only, international shipping to USA, Canada, Europe. All other countries rest of the world please get in touch for a shipping quote.

Great care and much time are taken over the safe transportation of the Fine Art & Antique pieces which we sell.

We bespoke pack & wrap extremely carefully, so you can rest assured that your piece will arrive with you in great as described condition.

For larger paintings, antique furniture pieces, and fragile items which can not be sent via the normal postal services, we use professional door-to-door delivery providers, who will always strive to deliver your piece promptly, within approximate. 2-5 working days for the United Kingdom mainland & International delivery between 5-14 working days.

Returns Policy

We offer a 14-day money-back refund policy

(excluding the cost of Postage & Packaging costs & any duties, taxes customs charges paid on buyers behalf or buy the buyer direct ).

CONTACT US:

Please feel free to call us.

We have a friendly & professional team on hand who are here to help you with any queries you may have.

Tel: 07494763382

Outside the UK:

Phone or text: 0044 7494763382

PAYMENT:

Our primary payment method is by (BACS) & International bank wire transfer, we can email you an invoice with our banking details upon request. We no longer accept any Online Card or in person card payments due to payment providers charging us and not returning the processing transaction fee even if an order is fraudulent, cancelled or returned. All Item(s) will need to be settled by bank transfer only. We will email you a proforma invoice with our bank details.

Customs Payment & Brexit

Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD operates on a Delivery Duty Unpaid (DDU) basis which means that the International buyer is responsible for any import duties, taxes & customs clearance charges and any other customs charges which may be necessary to release an order from international customs.

Following the UK leaving the EU on 1st January 2021 (BREXIT) there have been some changes to customs & duty charges for EU customers. Tax and import duty varies from country to country so we recommend you check with your local tax office to see if any fees will be payable.

If the customer refuses to pay any duty and customs charges and the parcel is returned to sender all shipping charges will be deducted from any refund.