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Lot Essay
Francesco Zugno, born in Venice in 1709, was a pupil of Giambattista Tiepolo. Zugno was patronised by some of the most important patrician families in Venice, notably the Mussato and the Giustiniani families.
In this charming portrait of a young boy holding a dog the subject leans on the corner of what appears to be a ledge or a table, as he gently clutches his seated dog with his left hand. To accentuate the tenderness of the moment, Zugno has placed one of the dog's little paws of the boy's forearm.
The boy is clothed in the finest silks complete with gold tassles which shimmer in the light. The characteristic Venetian emphasis on color is present in this composition; indeed the turquoise of the sitter's jacket recalls Veronese's deep velvety greens and blues. This sumptuous attire along with the boy's noble physiognomy and pale carnation indicate that he is a member of the Venetian ruling class. His wistful gaze and the way he holds his dog suggest virtue, obedience and loyalty, essential qualities for the son of a nobleman.
In this charming portrait of a young boy holding a dog the subject leans on the corner of what appears to be a ledge or a table, as he gently clutches his seated dog with his left hand. To accentuate the tenderness of the moment, Zugno has placed one of the dog's little paws of the boy's forearm.
The boy is clothed in the finest silks complete with gold tassles which shimmer in the light. The characteristic Venetian emphasis on color is present in this composition; indeed the turquoise of the sitter's jacket recalls Veronese's deep velvety greens and blues. This sumptuous attire along with the boy's noble physiognomy and pale carnation indicate that he is a member of the Venetian ruling class. His wistful gaze and the way he holds his dog suggest virtue, obedience and loyalty, essential qualities for the son of a nobleman.