Ferdinando Quaglia

This signed and dated miniature portrait of Ignazio Degotti by Ferdinando Quaglia is one of the finest examples of the artist’s work. Italian by birth, Quaglia made a name for himself in Paris, where he exhibited numerous times at the Salon, was regularly decorated and in 1814, received the prestigious Médaille d’or. Degotti, another Italian whose career flourished in the French capital, was a well-respected set designer who held the position of peintre-en-chef at the Théâtre de l’Opéra between 1795 and 1822. His most enduring work, however, is perhaps the background of Le Sacre de Napoléon, which Jacques-Louis David asked him to design and draw. As recognition for his fine contribution, David included a portrait of Degotti next to his own on the balcony above Madame Mère in the final painting.
Both men were connected with Napoleon’s regime, Degotti being involved in many plays glorifying the Emperor, and Quaglia having access to sitters from the upper echelons of society through his relationship with the Empress Josephine. Quaglia was in fact, the last painter to depict her before her death in 1814. His portrait of Degotti, instantly remarkable for its colour and clarity, the realism of the different materials and the sumptuousness of the rich textures, has repeatedly been singled out in later literature for its virtuosity. For over 80 years, the work was part of Ernst Holzscheiter’s unparalleled collection of miniatures, until 2018 when it joined the Twinight Collection, one of the foremost modern collections of fine porcelain pieces and enamel portraits.