Margherita Grimaldi Portrait

Portrait of Margherita Prati Grimaldi belongs to the mature phase of the Lombard painter: a celebrated portraitist of Milan’s high society, Appiani skillfully interprets the theme of feminine grace which was very much in vogue at the time—drawing inspiration from the Renaissance masters and Raphael-inspired models.
Set against a blue sky, probably within a colonnade (as suggested by the presence of the balustrade adorned with a classicalstyle basrelief), the figure turns her gaze away from her reading to observe the viewer. The refined simplicity of her garments which, though fashionable for the time, do not feature overly extravagant decorations the candor of her skin and the delicate features of her face, as well as the naturalness of her hairstyle, all indicate the woman’s status. An educated and passionate musician, Margherita Prati was born in Treviso; after marrying the wealthy Marquis Giacomo Grimaldi, she moved to Milan where she frequented the court of the Viceroy of Italy and that of Prince Eugène de Beauharnais, son of Joséphine, Napoleon’s first wife.

The painting holds dual importance for the collections of the Treviso Civic Museums. On one hand, it constitutes an important example of Lombard Neoclassicism and of Appiani’s production, as he would suffer a stroke and cease working a few years later (in 1813).
On the other hand, the work is part of the legacy that, upon her death, Marchioness Prati Grimaldi bequeathed to the Municipality of Treviso: a significant collection of properties, silverware, furnishings, and works of art including a Madonna with Child by Giovanni Bellini and workshop, preserved in the Museum of Santa Caterina. It was precisely following this important acquisition that the Treviso Civic Picture Gallery was established in 1851.