Focus on this artwork and explore the Provenance.
The Melbourne painting was commissioned for Frederick Augustus III, Elector of Saxony, by his agent Francesco Algarotti. According to a letter of 1744 from Algarotti to Heinrich von Brühl (1700–1763), the Saxon chief minister, he saw it unfinished in Tiepolo's studio, where it had been commissioned by someone else, and persuaded Tiepolo to finish it for Dresden. It has been speculated that the original commissioner was the English "Consul Smith".It was acquired in 1764 by Catherine the Great in Amsterdam. The work remained in the collection of the Hermitage Museum in what was then Saint Petersburg and later became Leningrad. It was part of the Soviet sale of Hermitage paintings, and was purchased by an English art dealer in 1932. It was purchased by the National Gallery of Victoria in 1933 for A£25,000; an account of the transaction by the agent for the National Gallery of Victoria describes how "...he carried payment made at the request of the vendor in bundles of small currency across Trafalgar Square in a suitcase.”
Dresden Francesco Algarotti Frederick Augustus III, Elector of Saxony A£ Hermitage Museum Melbourne Soviet sale of Hermitage paintings National Gallery of Victoria Consul Smith Catherine the Great Saint Petersburg National Gallery Heinrich von Brühl art dealer