![]() The book he holds is clearly labeled ‘Plato’, another ‘Aristotle’, both alluding to the sitter’s philosophical leanings. Here he lavishes meticulous attention on the texture and details of costume, props and furnishings: the crisp white linen collar and ruffs of Baines’ shirt, the metallic sheen of the chair back, and the vellum-bound books scattered on the table.īaines looks up momentarily from his reading to meet our gaze. This portrait was painted in Florence between 16, during Finch’s Residency as English Ambassador.Ī devout man known for his religious paintings, Carlo Dolci was also a brilliant portraitist who was much sought after at the court of the ruling Medici family.ĭolci’s painting technique was said to have been so painstaking that he would take weeks to paint ‘a single foot’. ![]() In 1651 Baines and Finch travelled to Padua to study medicine and around a decade later they were elected to the College of Physicians in London Baines was also named Gresham Professor of Music the same year. From then until Baines’ death from fever in Constantinople, the two men were inseparable, forming a bond that Finch described as ‘a beautiful and unbroken marriage of souls’. While a student there, he met John Finch who became his life-long companion. Thomas Baines (1622-80) studied at Christ’s College, Cambridge from 1636-49. Given by the National Art-Collections Fund, 1972 During his Residency in Florence Finch commissioned not only this portrait and that of Baines but also several religious paintings, three of which he gave to Charles II. He particularly admired the work of Carlo Dolci, whom he befriended, and regularly visited in his studio. In 1665 Finch was named Charles II’s Ambassador to Florence, and served in the same capacity at the Ottoman Court in Constantinople from 1672-81.įinch was also an enthusiastic art collector who built up a fine collection of Italian art. In the early part of his career he was employed by the Medici family as Professor of Anatomy in Pisa, quickly gaining a reputation as ‘a lynx with the knife’. More information Images Sir John Finch by Carlo Dolci Sir Thomas Baines by Carlo Dolciįinch (1626-82) studied at Cambridge University and, like his companion Thomas Baines (displayed opposite), trained as a physician in Padua, Italy.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |