The Klesch Collection is delighted to announce the recent acquisition of a Portrait of Marcus Aurelius by the Italian mannerist painter Francesco Salviati.

This newly discovered portrait of a young bearded man, 
with a neatly coiled head of hair, was the first painting of a proposed set of twelve portraits of Emperors commissioned around 1540 by Alfonso d’Avalos, commander general of the Imperial forces in Italy, emulating the famous series painted by Titian between 1538-1540 for the Duke of Mantua. This portrait of Marcus Aurelius was sent to Alfonso d’Avalos as an example of Salviati’s skill, but unfortunately, the full set was never made. The highly-arched expressive eyes are typical of Salviati’s mannerist style, and the monumental proportions of Marcus Aurelius’ arms and hand, as well as the sculptural power of the armour all’antica, are evident of Salviati’s inspiration from classical statues.

Francesco Salviati
(Florence 1510 – Rome 1563)
Portrait of Marcus Aurelius
oil on canvas
126 x 93 cm. (49.6 x 36.6 in.)
c. 1540

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“We fell in love with it [Rubens’ Portrait of an Unidentified Woman] and, as we said, that is one of our golden rules. We saw the painting at an exhibition and immediately reacted to it. It was like a magnet drawing both of us to it at the same time. It was truly serendipitous and love at first sight.”

Click here to read the full conversation with Gary and Anita Klesch and Prof. Katlijne Van der Stighelen.

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The Klesch Collection is delighted to announce the publication of its first book delving into the untold history of one of our paintings, Giorgio Vasari’s Allegory of Patience. The book Giorgio Vasari, Michelangelo and the Allegory of Patience is authored by Prof. Carlo Falciani, the renowned Florentine art historian. This publication is the first of, what we expect to be, many in-depth publications on paintings from the collection.

This book recounts the exciting rediscovery, story and documentation of The Klesch Collection’s painting, Allegory of Patience by Giorgio Vasari, painted in 1551-1552. The work was conceived with the help of Vasari’s close friend Michelangelo, as many surviving letters attest, and it quickly became famous and numerous copies were made, permeating the visual culture of Florence and beyond. This book carries full documentation of the work and its known copies, some of which can be traced to leading patrons in Renaissance Italy.

Giorgio Vasari, Michelangelo and the Allegory of Patience is available for purchase here, in both English and Italian.

Vasari’s Allegory of Patience is on view to the public at the National Gallery, London. The Klesch Collection is most grateful to the National Gallery for hosting this book launch. Below you can view a video of National Gallery’s Caroline Campbell, Director of Collections and Research, and Matthias Wivel, Curator of 16th-century Italian paintings, in conversation with Prof. Carlo Falciani about the painting and his book. Over time, we intend to have a research video available on each of our paintings.

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“Despite making their first serious acquisition only six years ago (a set of Arcimboldo’s Four Seasons), Anita and Gary Klesch have cultivated a collection of Old Masters – and, notably, Mistresses – that is the envy of many a museum”

Click here or on the image below to read the full conversation.

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“The number one rule is you have to fall in love with a painting. And this love might not end in a transaction.”

Click here to read the full conversation with the collectors Gary and Anita Klesch for TEFAF.

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The Klesch Collection is delighted to announce the recent acquisition of The Denial of Saint Peter, a late work by Joachim Wtewael, a great master of Netherlandish Mannerism.

This nocturnal scene by Wtewael distinctly shows the impact of Caravaggio on Dutch artists at that time, evident in the chiaroscuro effects achieved here by the fire at the centre of the scene. Even though this painting is a clear testament of Caravaggism in Utrecht, Wtewael incorporated his personal fervor for refined detail, rich colouring and graceful, mannered poses, beautifully demonstrated by the s-shaped outline of the central figure.

Joachim Wtewael
(Utrecht 1566 – 1638)
The Denial of Saint Peter
oil on canvas
46.1 x 67.7 cm. (18.14 x 26.65 in.)
c. 1620

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“Only recently have female artists started to gain due recognition in the arena of old masters. When painters like Sofonisba Anguissola or Judith Leyster broke from the confinements imposed on their own sex […] we see them establishing their own position, challenging set preconceptions and overcoming the restrictions of their time. This is something that is very inspiring and relatable in today’s world […]”

Click here to read the full conversation with Amparo Martinez-Russotto, Curator of The Klesch Collection, and Emanuela Tarizzo, London Art Week Board Member and Gallery Director of Tomasso Brothers Fine Art.

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The Klesch Collection is pleased to announce the funding of the publication of Part XIX (3) of the Corpus Rubenianum Ludwig Burchard, titled Portraits of Unidentified and Newly Identified Sitters Painted in Antwerp, written by Prof. Dr. Katlijne van der Stighelen and Em. Prof. Dr. Hans Vlieghe (University of Leuven).

The Rubenianum Fund was set up in 2010 in order to ensure that the Corpus Rubenianum Ludwig Burchard, the multi-volume catalogue raisonné of the oeuvre of Sir Peter Paul Rubens, is completed. Spanning 29 parts and about 50 volumes, it is without any doubt the most comprehensive publication ever devoted to a single artist. The books are based on the extensive documentation of the German art historian Dr. Ludwig Burchard (1886–1960), one of the most eminent Rubens specialists of the 20^th century. Upon his death, his archive and personal library was donated to the City of Antwerp and the first volume of this project was published in 1968. The final volume in the series is expected to be published in 2023.

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The Klesch Collection is delighted to announce the recent acquisition of Portrait of a young woman holding a chain        by Sir Peter Paul Rubens, who enjoyed unrivalled artistic supremacy in 17th-century Europe and became the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque.

This unique portrait, conceived with all the assured fluidity of Rubens’ hand, is testament to his masterful control of the paintbrush. Alongside the dazzling painterly strokes made to convey the cuff and ruff collar, the sitter’s face and hands are finished to a high degree, capturing the young woman’s youth and the intensity of her gaze.

Sir Peter Paul Rubens
(Siegen 1577 – Antwerp 1640)
Portrait of a young woman holding a chain
oil on canvas
85.5 x 66 cm. (33 ¾ x 26 in.)
c. 1603

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