Bossi, Domenico - portrait of a man in a navy coat

Eight and ten years ago, fortunate purchases for this collection, on two different occasions, were two miniatures acquired for very modest prices, which on receipt turned out to be by Domenico Bossi (1765-1853) an Italian artist born in Trieste, but who worked in several different cities.

Although his style can vary, some of his miniatures are quite distinctive, and since then anything resembling his work tends to stand out.

Bossi is a prized artist and hence a very fortunate acquisition at a local auction was this miniature portrait, described only as, "A Late 18C Circular Portrait Miniature on Ivory of a gentleman in a gold frame with memorium hair backing. Estimate $250-$450". It was listed among twenty lots of decorative and other miniatures of little value, so was very much out of place at the auction.

As it looked like a Bossi, it was necessary to inspect it, fortunately the auction house was quite close. On viewing the miniature, although perhaps a little faded, it was possible to detect a faint signature on the left starting D B..... This confirmed a feeling it was by Bossi. The reverse has two shades of hair laid at right angles, together with a damaged label which is unfortunately illegible as it may have shown the name of the sitter.

Fortunately, no one else picked the artist and it was purchased for less than the high estimate.

On opening the miniature the signature was only marginally clearer, but by enhancing the sharpness and contrast of the image, as seen here, it became possible to read the signature as "D Bossi 1795".

Schidlof describes Domenico Bossi (1765-1853) "as one of the best miniaturists of his period; in particular his works of the 18C are remarkable for expression and relief. In his first period he painted the shadows in surfaces using contrasts of sometimes hard light parts."

This aspect of Bossi's style is very apparent in this portrait, as the facial features are in a single colour, but made apparent by different depths of colour.

The National Museum in Stockholm contains 36 works by Bossi, dated 1796-1815. Hence this miniature of 1795 is an early work by Bossi, who in between 1794 and 1796 was working in Hamburg. Then going to Stockholm until 1802. He also worked in St Petersburg, Paris, and Vienna

One of the other two Bossi miniatures, of Baroness Leopold Neuwall is dated 1816, when he was in Vienna, so is towards the end of his career. For more see   View  The second is unsigned but is of Carl-Ludwig (1755-1801), Hereditary Prince of Baden.For more see View

In comparing the portraits of 1795 and 1816, the increased range of colours used in painting the facial features is quite apparent. 290, 492, 1409