This is a very, very odd painting. Odd also that, at this point at least, no one seems to know who the sitter is. My guess would be that he is some now forgotten actor, posed in the costume he wore for a favorite and/or popular role. Because this is certainly not any kind of real attire - for anyone, anywhere. Of course, there's a heavy dose of bejeweled maharaja in all this, but how does one explain the black body stocking? And the gloves?
***
Egisto Sarri (1837, Figline Valdarno - 1901, Florence), Italian academic painter. He lived and worked in Florence, painting portraits and historical and mythological subjects. He is best known for a series of paintings depicting daily life in ancient Pompeii, completed between 1875 and 1887 and which brought him much fame.
early drag queen? haha -this is fabulous
ReplyDeleteMaybe. Early and very, very bad - girlfriend is kind of a mess! ; )
Delete