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Sebastiano del Piombo was one of the great artists of the Renaissance. Highly regarded within his own time, he was later overshadowed by the all powerful figures with whom he had to compete: Titian in Venice and Raphael and Michelangelo in Rome. Vasari dedicated a chapter to him in his Lives (entitled "Sebastiano Viniziano, monk of Piombo and painter") which is filled with information with regard to his interests and his projects and which also contains detailed remarks which help us to build a portrait of his character. Among the information supplied by Vasari is that relating to Sebastiano's restless nature, which led him to experiment with unusual supports for his oil paintings and on which he tried out new techniques. Vasari also refers to the enormous efforts which Sebastiano put into carrying out his commissions, given that he lacked the natural abilities which other artists such as Raphael had been granted at birth. Nonetheless, the painter had great abilities as a portraitist. Vasari praised his "extremely lively" portraits on numerous occasions and considered this one of the artist's most outstanding talents. Referring to the portrait of Antonfrancesco degli Albizzi, Vasari praised its "fineness and beauty," noting that these qualities made Sebastiano "superior to all the other" painters of this genre.
This superb panel, which depicts the Embassador Carondelet and his two secretaries, shows to perfection the qualities which Vasari singled out in Sebastiano. For many years attributed to Raphael, it was correctly catalogued by Foulkes in 1894. Acquired by the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection in 1934, it had previously been in various other collections including that of the Carondelet family and that of the Duke of Grafton, the last owner before it entered the Villa Favorita collection. With regard to its composition, Manuela Mena has drawn attention to the northern origins of the sitter, which could have influenced Sebastiano's interpretation of the painting, which, by showing Carondelet at work at his desk, does not totally conform with Italian norms established for the depiction of illustrious sitters. In addition, Sebastiano uses obviously Venetian elements in his depiction, such as the use of the half length format for the figures situated in the portico which opens up onto a luminous landscape on the viewer's right. Along with these Venetian notes there are other typically Roman elements, such as the monumental conception of the sitter and his surroundings.
The inscription which appears on the letter held by Carondelet has enabled him to be identified. Ferry Carondelet was born in Malines in 1473 and studied in Dole, after which he began a brilliant career as a cleric and diplomat. In 1504 he was named Archdeacon of Besançon, in 1508 he became ecclesiastical advisor to Margaret of Austria and in 1510 he was made Papal Legate to the Emperor Maximilian I. In 1511 he is recorded as being in Rome where he remained until 1513, when he returned to Flanders. This magnificent portrait is dated to his stay in Rome. Another portrait of Carondelet painted during his Roman stay by Fra Bartolommeo and Mariotto Albertinelli is now in Besançon, and depicts Carondelet as a donor.
Mar Borobia
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