The Connoisseur

Artist Emilio Torrini (Italian, 1852 - 1920)

Datec. 1880 - 1890s

MediumWatercolor and graphite on paper

DimensionsImage: 10 3/16 × 14 1/16 inches (25.9 × 35.7 cm)
Sheet: 10 3/16 × 14 1/16 inches (25.9 × 35.7 cm)
Mount: 10 3/16 × 14 1/16 inches (25.9 × 35.7 cm)
Matted: 16 × 20 inches (40.6 × 50.8 cm)

Credit LineBequest of Clay Worthington Clayton.

Object number2022.43

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CopyrightThe images and text contained on this page are owned by Telfair Museums or used by the Museum with permission from the owners. Unauthorized reproduction, transmission or display of these materials is prohibited with the exception of items deemed “fair use” as defined by U.S. and international copyright laws.Label TextIn this watercolor a distinguished art lover slouches in a chair and casually holds a painting in an ornate frame. The attire and powdered wig identify this as a historical scene, set in the 1700s, at the heyday of the Grand Tour through Europe's art capitals. The connoisseur's crossed legs and relaxed pose convey confidence, perhaps arrogance, as he possessively admires the picture. Is he a collector, privately congratulating himself on a recent purchase? Living in Florence, Italy, painter Emilio Torrini was immersed in the art world, surrounded by museums, dealers, and collectors, and this picture, though set in the past, may gently be poking fun at figures and attitudes familiar to its creator. Torrini specialized in highly detailed and precisely painted historical scenes like this, usually with a humorous social critique.

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