Head of a Man in Red

Artist: Giacomo Francesco Cipper (Italian, 1664 - 1736)

Original Dimensions: 18 1/8" x 14 1/8"

Location: National Gallery of Art, London

About Artwork: (Early 18th century) "This characterful portrait is a pair to Head of a Man in Blue, also in our collection. A man looks out, his eyes sparkling and head slightly cocked. His mouth is open, as if he is speaking, and he has crooked and missing teeth. A cheerful demeanour animates his face, as do the wisps of hair poking out from under his hat and the upturned tufts of his moustache. The style and subject of this picture are typical of Giacomo Francesco Cipper, an artist who specialised in low-life scenes. The man here is evidently poor – the sleeve of his red jacket is coming away at the seam, and the cloth has been roughly stitched along his shoulder – but the artist’s portrayal is very sympathetic. The paint has been quickly and loosely applied without blending the daubs of colour, giving this work (and its pair) a ‘blotchy’ – almost impressionistic – appearance and sense of immediacy." - (National Gallery of Art, London)