Lot 1112 Dα

Gianantonio Guardi worked as a painter in the services of Field Marshall Matthias von der Schulenburg for almost 17 years - from 1729 to 1746. Von der Schulenburg was one of the greatest art collectors of 18th century Venice, and could count 106 works from Guardi's school in his collection. These included copies of works by other painters, as portraits of contemporary rulers were one of von Schulenburg's favourite motifs to collect. Among others, Giantonio Guardi painted portraits of Philipp V, the first Bourbon to ascend the Spanish throne, his second wife Elisabeth Farnese, and his son and heir Ferdinand VI. He based these works on portraits carried out by Louis Michel van Loo.
According to a label on the back of this work, it remained in possession of the von der Schulenburg family until 1957. The accounts book of the Schulenburg archive records a portrait of the Prince of Asturius, paid for in 1746, which we can assume to be this work (Pedrocco op. cit., p. 39). The prince ascended the throne in July 1746 as Ferdinand VI of Spain.