The J. Paul Getty Trust 1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 403 Tel 310 440 7360 Communications Department Los Angeles, California 90049-1681 Fax 310 440 7722 www.getty.edu [email protected] NEWS FROM THE GETTY DATE: January 25, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE J. PAUL GETTY MUSEUM ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF RARE EARLY RENAISSANCE DRAWING ATTRIBUTED TO PIERO DEL POLLAIUOLO Portrait of a Young Man, Head and Shoulders, Wearing a Cap, will complement Museum’s Renaissance drawings collection LOS ANGELES—The J. Paul Getty Museum today announced the acquisition at auction of Portrait of a Young Man, Head and Shoulders, Wearing a Cap, drawn about 1470, attributed to Piero del Pollaiuolo (c. 1443–1496). The drawing, from the early Florence Renaissance, is extremely rare, and is the first portrait drawing of this period to be included in the Getty’s permanent collection. Its acquisition by the Getty will allow it to be put on public display for likely the first time in its long history. “This acquisition anchors and provides context for the Museum’s Italian Renaissance drawings collection, one of the strongest of any U.S. museum,” explains Lee Hendrix, senior curator of drawings at the Getty Museum. Portrait of a Young Man, Head and Shoulders, Wearing a Cap, about 1470. Attributed to Piero del Pollaiuolo “This is the first major drawing from this pivotal early (Italian, c. 1443-1496). Pen and brown ink over black chalk. The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles. Renaissance period to come on the market for many years, which, paired with its extraordinary condition, makes this a very significant acquisition.” -more- Page 2 The drawing belongs to a crucial moment in the Renaissance when the independent portrait emerged as a genre and gained wide popularity. Unlike other portrait drawings of the time, which typically showed the sitter in strict profile, the drawing shows the full face of the sitter, adding depth and character to the subject. It depicts a young man, probably a nobleman, looking directly at the viewer with an intense focus. Subtle parallel pen hatching sets the facial features carefully in space, while thick pen strokes provide additional texture, such as those in the sitter’s curly hair. The directness of the sitter’s gaze and the unusual reversed buttoning (right-over-left) of his tunic suggest that the work could perhaps be a self- portrait. Given the unusually large scale of the drawing, and the intricacy with which it was drawn, it is likely that the portrait was intended as a finished work in its own right. Very few other finished portrait drawings survive from its era. About the Pollaiuolo brothers The Pollaiuolo brothers, Antonio and Piero, ran one of the three major workshops in Florence in the 1460s, 1470s and 1480s, often called the ‘golden age’ of Florentine art. They won commissions from the Medici family and other princely, guild, papal and religious patrons in the fields of painting, sculpture, and the production of bronzes, coins, medals, niello (inlaid silver), and engravings. The brothers worked in close collaboration across projects, but scholars believe that Piero was more active in the production of portraits, as well as objects in gold and silver. Stylistically, the Pollaiuolo brothers’ art is characterized by a core interest in anatomy and the human body in action. Representation of the exercise and exertion of muscles and their effect on facial expression run parallel in their work with a new understanding of naturalism in portraiture. # # # MEDIA CONTACT: Alexandria Sivak Getty Communications (310) 440-6473 [email protected] -more- Page 3 The J. Paul Getty Trust is an international cultural and philanthropic institution devoted to the visual arts that includes the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Getty Research Institute, the Getty Conservation Institute, and the Getty Foundation. The J. Paul Getty Trust and Getty programs serve a varied audience from two locations: the Getty Center in Los Angeles and the Getty Villa in Malibu. The J. Paul Getty Museum collects in seven distinct areas, including Greek and Roman antiquities, European paintings, drawings, manuscripts, sculpture and decorative arts, and photographs gathered internationally. The Museum's mission is to make the collection meaningful and attractive to a broad audience by presenting and interpreting the works of art through educational programs, special exhibitions, publications, conservation, and research. Visiting the Getty Center The Getty Center is open Tuesday through Friday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. It is closed Monday and major holidays. Admission to the Getty Center is always free. Parking is $15 per car, but reduced to $10 after 5 p.m. on Saturdays and for evening events throughout the week. No reservation is required for parking or general admission. Reservations are required for event seating and groups of 15 or more. Please call (310) 440-7300 (English or Spanish) for reservations and information. The TTY line for callers who are deaf or hearing impaired is (310) 440- 7305. The Getty Center is at 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles, California Additional information is available at www.getty.edu. Sign up for e-Getty at www.getty.edu/subscribe to receive free monthly highlights of events at the Getty Center and the Getty Villa via e-mail, or visit www.getty.edu for a complete calendar of public programs. .