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Lot Essay
This striking profile portrait of Philip II, Duke of Savoy is a significant addition to the oeuvre of Macrino d’Alba, a leading Piedmontese artist at the turn of the sixteenth century. It provides an important source of new information on the artist’s activity, since it was not previously known or documented that he worked for the Savoy Court. A renowned figure in Europe during the second half of the fifteenth century, the duke spent the majority of his life as a politician and solider at the courts of France and Savoy, before eventually succeeding to the duchy in 1496, only eighteen months before his death. This portrait, which shows Philip in armour and chain mail, was almost certainly painted to mark his succession to the dukedom and is the only known surviving likeness of the sitter made during his lifetime. Profile portraits were especially popular amongst Italian courts throughout the fifteenth century, imbued with associations with the great leaders of Antiquity. The roundel format of Macrino’s portrait of Philip adds a further Classicising element in echoing the format of a portrait medallion, which would have been used for a political statement or in commemoration.
Philip’s brief period as duke helps to refine the dating of this portrait to between 1496 and 1497. It accords stylistically with other works by Macrino d’Alba of the late 1490s, for example his Portrait of Andrea Novelli (fig. 1; Collezione Borromeo, Isola Bella, recently re-dated to 1495/96 by Professor Villata), which similarly presents the sitter bust-length in profile, surrounded by a Latin inscription. Furthermore, the technique employed to describe the sitter’s physiognomy is strikingly analogous with the portrait of Novelli, with the same deft strokes of the brush used to model the features and the same carful manipulation of light to define the lines and folds in the face.
The precise link between Macrino d’Alba and the Savoy court is not documented and this portrait provides the only known evidence for such a connection. However, Philip II established his court at Turin after 1496, close to where Macrino worked for much of his career. The artist was frequently employed by the Marquesses of Montferrat at Casale Monferrato. Descendants of the Byzantine Palaiologos dynasty, the Montferrat family had close connections with the Duchy of Savoy: Giovanni Giacomo del Monferrato, for example, had married Joanna of Savoy, daughter of Amadeus VII of Savoy, in 1414; and their granddaughter, Blanche of Montferrat, had later become the young bride of Charles I of Savoy in 1485 and had ruled as regent of the duchy in the name of her young son, Charles II, between 1490 and 1496. These connections would certainly have provided the opportunity for an artist of the Montferrat Court to be introduced to Savoyard circles at Turin.
Alongside his work for the Montferrat family, Macrino d’Alba undertook a number of significant commissions in Piedmont and across north-western Italy. In 1496, he painted the lower register of a polyptych for the famed Carthusian monastery at Pavia and later painted significant altarpieces for the Chiesa di San Franceso at Alba and the cathedral at Vigevano. Perhaps his most famous work was the large single panelled altarpiece depicting the Virgin and Child with Saints John the Baptist, James the Elder, Augustine and Jerome, painted in 1503 for the Santuario dell'Assunta, Crea Monferrato, where it remains today.
Born the fourth son of Louis, Duke of Savoy and Anne of Cyprus, Philip spent much of his life in subsidiary positions in the government of the duchy of Savoy. Invested in 1460 with several territories and titles, consisting of the district of Bresse, he spent much time in the French royal court, travelling in 1461 to Reims to represent his father at the coronation of Louis XI, who had married Charlotte of Savoy, Philip’s sister, in 1451. He remained at the French court and the following year was charged by Louis with leading a hundred spears to Asti in preparation for an assault on Genoa. Renowned for his lack of restraint, however, Philip used this opportunity to oust the influential Jacques de Valperga from his position as Governor of Savoy and to eliminate the powerful Cypriot faction at the Savoyard court which had grown up around his mother. Breaking into Thonon castle, the main Savoyard ducal residence, he imprisoned Valperga and later subjected him to a show trial, accusing him of a series of atrocious crimes (including having a devil in his service and writing a book in the blood of a child) and sentencing him to death. Philip’s movements bought him into conflict with the French king and with his father. Eventually summoned to explain his actions to Louis XI, he was ambushed and arrested on the road to Orléans in 1464 and imprisoned at Loches. Following his release two years later, Philip returned to the French court and was awarded with several honours and a large annual pension.
By the late 1460s, the Savoyard house entered an alliance with the powerful duchy of Burgundy, in opposition to Louis XI. Philip established a close relationship with Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, and was made a member of the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1468. This Burgundian alliance collapsed after 1471, when Philip re-allied himself with Louis XI of France. The following year, Philip’s elder brother Amadeus IX of Savoy died, leaving his young son Philip I as his heir. Philip took this opportunity to try and establish his influence in the Duchy by ousting his sister-in-law, Yolande of Valois from her position as regent. His series of attempts failed, even after Yolande’s death. Eventually, Philip was appointed Governor of Savoy in 1481, a position he continued to hold after the death of Philip I and the succession of his brother Charles I. He also continued to hold important posts at the French court and was awarded an annual pension of 10,000 livres by Anne of France, Duchess of Bourbon, in 1483, after the ascension of her brother Charles VIII to the throne. Along with this, Philip was also appointed Lieutenant of the King, making him one of the highest dignitaries at court. The death of Charles I of Savoy in 1490, once again provided an opportunity for Philip to try and assume control of the duchy. This ambition, however, was once again thwarted by the regency established by Charles’ widow, Blanche of Montferrat, in favour of her infant son Charles II.
Philip accompanied Charles VIII of France on his expedition to Italy to conquer the Kingdom of Naples in 1494 and later that year took part in the failed siege of Genoa. He returned to France with the king, before travelling to Piedmont. On 16 April 1496, his young nephew, Charles II of Savoy, died, leaving his uncle as his only heir and Philip finally succeeded to the dukedom on 5 May 1496. He elected to establish his main ducal residence at Turin, a choice which showed a more open policy toward the Italian states and an attempt to distance himself from the influence of France. The duke however was already in poor health and suffered a series of violent fevers during the early months of 1497. On 7 November that year, he died at Chambéry, after only eighteen months of government.
We are grateful for Prof. Frédéric Elsig for endorsing the attribution, and to Professor Edoardo Villata and Prof. Mauro Natale for independently confirming the attribution. Professor Elsig and Professor Villata have inspected the portrait at first hand.
Philip’s brief period as duke helps to refine the dating of this portrait to between 1496 and 1497. It accords stylistically with other works by Macrino d’Alba of the late 1490s, for example his Portrait of Andrea Novelli (fig. 1; Collezione Borromeo, Isola Bella, recently re-dated to 1495/96 by Professor Villata), which similarly presents the sitter bust-length in profile, surrounded by a Latin inscription. Furthermore, the technique employed to describe the sitter’s physiognomy is strikingly analogous with the portrait of Novelli, with the same deft strokes of the brush used to model the features and the same carful manipulation of light to define the lines and folds in the face.
The precise link between Macrino d’Alba and the Savoy court is not documented and this portrait provides the only known evidence for such a connection. However, Philip II established his court at Turin after 1496, close to where Macrino worked for much of his career. The artist was frequently employed by the Marquesses of Montferrat at Casale Monferrato. Descendants of the Byzantine Palaiologos dynasty, the Montferrat family had close connections with the Duchy of Savoy: Giovanni Giacomo del Monferrato, for example, had married Joanna of Savoy, daughter of Amadeus VII of Savoy, in 1414; and their granddaughter, Blanche of Montferrat, had later become the young bride of Charles I of Savoy in 1485 and had ruled as regent of the duchy in the name of her young son, Charles II, between 1490 and 1496. These connections would certainly have provided the opportunity for an artist of the Montferrat Court to be introduced to Savoyard circles at Turin.
Alongside his work for the Montferrat family, Macrino d’Alba undertook a number of significant commissions in Piedmont and across north-western Italy. In 1496, he painted the lower register of a polyptych for the famed Carthusian monastery at Pavia and later painted significant altarpieces for the Chiesa di San Franceso at Alba and the cathedral at Vigevano. Perhaps his most famous work was the large single panelled altarpiece depicting the Virgin and Child with Saints John the Baptist, James the Elder, Augustine and Jerome, painted in 1503 for the Santuario dell'Assunta, Crea Monferrato, where it remains today.
Born the fourth son of Louis, Duke of Savoy and Anne of Cyprus, Philip spent much of his life in subsidiary positions in the government of the duchy of Savoy. Invested in 1460 with several territories and titles, consisting of the district of Bresse, he spent much time in the French royal court, travelling in 1461 to Reims to represent his father at the coronation of Louis XI, who had married Charlotte of Savoy, Philip’s sister, in 1451. He remained at the French court and the following year was charged by Louis with leading a hundred spears to Asti in preparation for an assault on Genoa. Renowned for his lack of restraint, however, Philip used this opportunity to oust the influential Jacques de Valperga from his position as Governor of Savoy and to eliminate the powerful Cypriot faction at the Savoyard court which had grown up around his mother. Breaking into Thonon castle, the main Savoyard ducal residence, he imprisoned Valperga and later subjected him to a show trial, accusing him of a series of atrocious crimes (including having a devil in his service and writing a book in the blood of a child) and sentencing him to death. Philip’s movements bought him into conflict with the French king and with his father. Eventually summoned to explain his actions to Louis XI, he was ambushed and arrested on the road to Orléans in 1464 and imprisoned at Loches. Following his release two years later, Philip returned to the French court and was awarded with several honours and a large annual pension.
By the late 1460s, the Savoyard house entered an alliance with the powerful duchy of Burgundy, in opposition to Louis XI. Philip established a close relationship with Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, and was made a member of the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1468. This Burgundian alliance collapsed after 1471, when Philip re-allied himself with Louis XI of France. The following year, Philip’s elder brother Amadeus IX of Savoy died, leaving his young son Philip I as his heir. Philip took this opportunity to try and establish his influence in the Duchy by ousting his sister-in-law, Yolande of Valois from her position as regent. His series of attempts failed, even after Yolande’s death. Eventually, Philip was appointed Governor of Savoy in 1481, a position he continued to hold after the death of Philip I and the succession of his brother Charles I. He also continued to hold important posts at the French court and was awarded an annual pension of 10,000 livres by Anne of France, Duchess of Bourbon, in 1483, after the ascension of her brother Charles VIII to the throne. Along with this, Philip was also appointed Lieutenant of the King, making him one of the highest dignitaries at court. The death of Charles I of Savoy in 1490, once again provided an opportunity for Philip to try and assume control of the duchy. This ambition, however, was once again thwarted by the regency established by Charles’ widow, Blanche of Montferrat, in favour of her infant son Charles II.
Philip accompanied Charles VIII of France on his expedition to Italy to conquer the Kingdom of Naples in 1494 and later that year took part in the failed siege of Genoa. He returned to France with the king, before travelling to Piedmont. On 16 April 1496, his young nephew, Charles II of Savoy, died, leaving his uncle as his only heir and Philip finally succeeded to the dukedom on 5 May 1496. He elected to establish his main ducal residence at Turin, a choice which showed a more open policy toward the Italian states and an attempt to distance himself from the influence of France. The duke however was already in poor health and suffered a series of violent fevers during the early months of 1497. On 7 November that year, he died at Chambéry, after only eighteen months of government.
We are grateful for Prof. Frédéric Elsig for endorsing the attribution, and to Professor Edoardo Villata and Prof. Mauro Natale for independently confirming the attribution. Professor Elsig and Professor Villata have inspected the portrait at first hand.