Jean Brotin (active in France, Lyon, c. 1528-1561)
Portrait of a man, c. 1550-1560
Black chalk and sanguine on paper with a layer of white preparation, mounted on carboard.
27 x 19 cm (framed: 55.5 x 43 cm).
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This beautiful Portrait of a man can be attributed to the Master of 1561, most certainly identifiable to the French painter Jean Brotin (active circa 1528-1561). The corpus of the...
This beautiful Portrait of a man can be attributed to the Master of 1561, most certainly identifiable to the French painter Jean Brotin (active circa 1528-1561). The corpus of the Master of 1561 has recently been reconstructed by the specialist Camille Larraz, who attributes to the Master seven portraits on panel whose invention is owned to Corneille de Lyon (1500-1575) but whose touch is characterized by a more meticulous and velvety texture.
The identification of the Master of 1561 with Jean Brotin is based on an inscription on the back of a panel that appeared on the art market in 2015 as a work by Corneille de Lyon. Although probably retouched, one can read: "BRONTINUS" / "PINSIT ANNO" / "MDLXI". Thus, it has been cautiously proposed to consider this inscription as the autograph signature of Jean Brotin, who is documents in Lyon from 1528 to 1536.
The present Portrait of a man adds to the meager list of works by Jean Brotin, whose recent rediscovery constitutes of significant point in the study of 16th-century French art. Moreover, it is the only known drawing by Jean Brotin.
We wish to thank Camille Larraz for her expertise.
The identification of the Master of 1561 with Jean Brotin is based on an inscription on the back of a panel that appeared on the art market in 2015 as a work by Corneille de Lyon. Although probably retouched, one can read: "BRONTINUS" / "PINSIT ANNO" / "MDLXI". Thus, it has been cautiously proposed to consider this inscription as the autograph signature of Jean Brotin, who is documents in Lyon from 1528 to 1536.
The present Portrait of a man adds to the meager list of works by Jean Brotin, whose recent rediscovery constitutes of significant point in the study of 16th-century French art. Moreover, it is the only known drawing by Jean Brotin.
We wish to thank Camille Larraz for her expertise.
Provenance
Realized in Lyon by Jean Brotin, c. 1550-1560.Lucerne, Galerie Fischer, November 1990, lot 359.
Switzerland, private collection.
Zurich, Koller Auktionen AG, March 27, 2024, lot 5755, as "follower of François Clouet".
Literature
Unpublished.On Jean Brotin, see:
C. Larraz, "L'aterlier de Corneille de Lyon: Jean Brotin, une hypothèse pour le Maître de 1561", Revue des Musées de France, 2023, 4, p. 38-45.
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