Lot 95: FERDINANDO QUAGLIA (ITALIAN, 1780-1853)

A young lady, in white off-the-shoulders dress with short puffed sleeves, black belt with gold clasp, upswept dark hair dressed in ringlets
signed 'Quaglia' (lower right)
oval, 3 5/8 in. (92 mm.) high, rectangular ormolu frame with foliate surmount, border and spandrels, within black leather travelling case with tooled foliate border

with Stefan Jordan, Munich, 1998.
Phillips, London, 14 July 1998, lot 253.

The present miniature dates from Quaglia's most inspired period when he was working for Empress Josephine and her daughter Hortense. It can be compared to his masterpiece, the portrait of the singer Giuseppina Grassini, now in the Museum of La Scala, Milan, which was acquired by the Italian government for La Scala in Paris, 1911, for the record price of 100,000 gold francs. The ornate ormolu frames of both of these miniatures are identical (see L. R. Schidlof, The Miniature in Europe, Graz, 1964, IV, pl. 470, no. 964).
For further information on this interesting artist see C. Jeannerat, 'Il pittore Ferdinando Quaglia', Dedalo, 1921, pp. 536-550.

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.