Maria Giovanna Clementi, known as «la Clementina» (Turin 1690/1692-1761), Portrait of king Charles Emmanuel III of Savoy

In the oval-shaped portrait enclosed within this monumental gilded and lacquered wooden chimney-piece, one recognises the half-busted effigy of King Carlo Emanuele III of Savoy (Turin, 1701-1773) and the painting style of the famous Piedmontese painter Maria Giovanna Battista Buzzana Clementi, known as «la Clementina». The Savoy monarch, who ascended the throne in 1730, is depicted in three quarters. His breastplate is adorned with the large collar and badge of the dynastic order of the Santissima Annunziata, meticulously described in the calligraphic interlacing of the motto “fert”, and with the characteristic knots belonging to the subalpine family. The armour bears the monogram of the sovereign, which is engraved under the neckline and partly covered by a red cloak lined with ermine, proof of his royalty, reiterated by the crown placed upon his shoulders.

The complex set of symbolic references is not limited to the canvas, but extends to the frame, the work of an excellent Piedmontese carver of the first half of the 18th century; the coherence of the two objects shows that they have been conceived since their origin as a unitary structure.

Click HERE for a full description in the Catalogue of Italian painting from the 17th to 18th century 2015, pg. 58-59