The Portrait of Pier Luigi Farnese in armor by Titian returns to its ancient splendor. The work, which had conditions of legibility compromised by a notable presence of small gaps and widespread abrasions and by the alteration of the protective layers, glues and paints, applied in the previous restoration, was presented today at the Central Institute for Restoration of Rome, by the director of the Museum and Real Bosco di Capodimonte Sylvain Bellenger and by the director of the Central Institute for Restoration Alessandra Marino. The painting is part of the prestigious Farnese collection of the Museum and Real Bosco di Capodimonte which arrived in Naples with the accession to the throne of Charles of Bourbon (1734), thanks to the gift of the collection of his mother Elisabetta Farnese, and was restored by the Central Institute for the Restoration thanks to a virtuous example of patronage, included in the ‘Revelations. Finance for Fine Arts’ of Borsa Italiana, launched by the Museum and Real Bosco di Capodimonte in 2018. Thanks to the art bonus mechanism, three Campania companies (Tecno, Pasell and Graded), all included in the Elite program of the Italian Stock Exchange, for companies with high growth potential were able to finance the diagnostic investigation and restoration campaign.
The Portrait of Titian depicts Pier Luigi Farnese (1503-1547), eldest son of Pope Paul III, who stands out with authority and strength, closed in his dazzling armor of the leader with the flag that recalls the position of Gonfaloniere and general of the papal army, assigned to him by his father Pope Paul III Farnese in 1545, together with that, very prestigious, of the Duke of Parma and Piacenza. Titian, portraitist of the Farnese family, captures Pier Luigi in a three-quarter profile. The artist captures the effects of light shining on the armor with inimitable craftsmanship. The work will be on display, starting from 18 March next, at the Monumental Complex of the Pilotta in Parma as part of the exhibition “I Farnese. Architecture, Art, Power “, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and included in the projects of Parma Italian Capital of Culture 2020 + 21, an exhibition to which the Museum and Real Bosco di Capodimonte contributes significantly with the loan of a significant group of paintings, armor and precious objects from the Farnese Wunderkammer.
On 30 July 2021, the Portrait of Pier Luigi Farnese in armor by Titian was exhibited at Palazzo Barberini, site of the first meeting of the G20 Ministers of Culture in Rome, in the room dedicated to the Central Institute of Restoration.
Titian probably painted this canvas in Venice around 1546, after his return from Rome at the invitation of Paul III. A probable contact between Pier Luigi and Titian must have taken place in Emilia in 1543, since the Duke was not present in Rome during Titian’s stay in the Eternal City. In this painting, Titian paints Pier Luigi in a three-quarter profile, almost suggesting the passage from contemplation to action, amplified by the gesture of the right hand that grasps the staff, symbol of his military command, while the other holds in the shadows. the handle of a dagger ready to be grasped. The armor worn by Pierluigi Farnese, in the portrait executed by Titian, is not representative, but comparable to the typical military armor of the time.
The work had already undergone a restoration in 1957 at the Central Institute of Restoration, at the time directed by Cesare Brandi, as part of the overall conservative revision of the masterpieces of the Neapolitan museum when Bruno Molajoli arranged for their transfer to the palace of Capodimonte. The painting, which required a consolidation of the pictorial layers, at the time was lined with paste glue and then mounted on an innovative tensioning system, consisting of a wooden frame with spring expansion, being tested, which proved to be very effective over time. The old repaintings were removed, then very limited aesthetic presentation operations were carried out, according to the extremely rigorous approach that was pursued at the time at the Institute, leaving part of the gaps in the pictorial film visible. The main problem of the work was linked to the usability of the image, affected by the presence of the numerous leaks of the pictorial film that had brought the support canvas to view.
The intervention was preceded by an extensive diagnostic campaign, carried out by Emmebi Diagnostica Artistica, Arsmensurae and the Laboratoire d’Archéologie Moléculaire et Structurale (LAMS) in Paris. Researches with advanced methodologies that have made it possible to acquire new information on the executive technique of the painting, useful for facing the delicate restoration in the best possible way. From the point of view of the image, the painting, on the other hand, was very damaged. The intervention was aimed at restoring the cohesion defects of the pictorial film, the removal of the oxidized paints of the previous restoration and the thinning of the glues used for the lining of 1957. The painting thus recovered chromatic intensity and richness of detail, which had been completely softened by the oxidation of the restoration paints and fragmented by the gaps. The armor is now perfectly legible in the luminous glow of the burnished metal and in the many precious finishes. The squire’s face, previously almost indistinct, has come back to life; in the hands and face of Pier Luigi one can appreciate the expressive power of Titian again.