For Johann Matthias von der Schulenburg and his patronage of contemporary artists, see, for instance, the catalogue of the sale in these Rooms, 11 December 1992, p.38. Schulenburg's account books and inventories record nine pictures executed for him by Nazari - the Portrait of Sebastiano Ricci sold at Sotheby's on 20 April 1988, lot 36, which was paid for in June 1733 and said to have been subsequently retouched by the sitter (Noris, op. cit., p. 231, no. 24, and p. 247, fig.3; Binion, op. cit., 1990, fig.17), the Portrait of the soprano singer Faustina Bordoni sold at Sotheby's on 17 November 1982, lot 61, also painted in 1733, a portrait of Schlulenburg himself for which Nazari received payment in September 1747, ater his patron's death and which is untraced, and six teste (Inventory of c.1750, nos. 343-348) for which payment was made, at twelve cecchini each, on 17 June and 4 August 1733. The present painting is one of these last and two others, of similar size, are known to survive, an Old man with a white Collar formerly also on loan at Hannover (Schulenburg no.345; Noris, op. cit., p.245, fig.I) and an Officer sold at Sotheby's on 19 December 1985, lot 135 (Schulenburg no.347; Noris, op. cit., p.245, fig.3).

Curiously, no less than four pairs of male and female 'heads' were described as the work of Nazari in Schulenburg's posthumous sale at Christie's in 1775 (12 April, lots 14 and 35, 13 April, lots 1 and 20) along with 'An historical picture' (13 April, lot 9), an equestrian portrait of Schulenburg documented as the work of Nogari (13 April, lot 40) and 'A Woman's head' described as 'Nozari' (which could mean either Nazari or Nogari).

The full-length portrait of Schulenburg sold at Sotheby's on 3 July 1985, lot 151, as the work of Nazari is in fact documented as the work of Panagiotis Doxara (see Binion, op. cit., 1990, fig.11)