Lot Essay
This renowned portrait has undergone many revisions by Boldini since its original commission. In the spring of 1901, Boldini was invited to Palermo to paint Donna Franca Florio. His primary version was not approved by her husband who wished to have his wife portrayed as "The Queen of Palermo" rather than as a demi-mondaine. On June 20, 1901, Don Ignazio wrote to Boldini, "...the work must be to the taste of what I am paying for... I find her attitude not at all beautiful; I find it decidedly unreal and unnatural." Boldini courteously replied, "Without pretending to have produced a masterpiece, I believe that there is in this portrait some qualities which allow me to class it among my best paintings". Florio was insistent and the artist relented by agreeing to touch over the offending areas of the portrait, by lengthening the dress and sleeves with black lace. The picture was subsequently exhibited at the Venice Biennale in 1903, provoking several critical responses such as that of Vittorio Pica -"As for Boldini, if the Portrait of Donna Franca reconfirms the mastery of the Italo-French painter in its soft rendering of the face and in the passage from face to neck, the unnatural pose and exaggerated twist of the slender figure, tightly sheathed in an ostentatious black dress, makes his affection and artifice more apparent than ever before..." In 1924, Boldini reworked the painting back to his original concept.
The Florios had an estate near Palermo called Olivuzza which was a focal point for royalty, including Wilhelm II, Emperor of Germany, aristocracy and high ranking officials. Donna Franca was considered by Jean Philippe Worth to be the best-dressed and most beautiful woman in Italy, while her husband's fortune afforded her the life of a sovereign. While Don Ignazio's enterprises included the "Marsala Florio", his other projects resulted in the Teatro Massimo, the Palermo Hospital and the Institute for the Blind, to compete with the latest government constructions, such as the Palace of Justice in Rome. One of the first performers at the Teatro Massimo, opened in 1897, was Lina Cavalieri (see lot 3), whose beauty was greatly admired by Don Ignazio. Sensing that their beloved Donna Franca was being overlooked, the Palermo audience heckled the singer and applauded their idol. The "Marsala Florio", which was used to baptise their four children, was unable to pay for these projects and inevitably had to be sold. Following the financial ruin of the Florio family, this portrait was acquired by Baron Maurice de Rothschild (1927-1928) for one million lire.
The Florios had an estate near Palermo called Olivuzza which was a focal point for royalty, including Wilhelm II, Emperor of Germany, aristocracy and high ranking officials. Donna Franca was considered by Jean Philippe Worth to be the best-dressed and most beautiful woman in Italy, while her husband's fortune afforded her the life of a sovereign. While Don Ignazio's enterprises included the "Marsala Florio", his other projects resulted in the Teatro Massimo, the Palermo Hospital and the Institute for the Blind, to compete with the latest government constructions, such as the Palace of Justice in Rome. One of the first performers at the Teatro Massimo, opened in 1897, was Lina Cavalieri (see lot 3), whose beauty was greatly admired by Don Ignazio. Sensing that their beloved Donna Franca was being overlooked, the Palermo audience heckled the singer and applauded their idol. The "Marsala Florio", which was used to baptise their four children, was unable to pay for these projects and inevitably had to be sold. Following the financial ruin of the Florio family, this portrait was acquired by Baron Maurice de Rothschild (1927-1928) for one million lire.