3-002-704 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Portrait of Giovanna Bagnara (?), c1739. Although the identity of this sitter is uncertain, she may be the sister of Subleyras's wife Maria Félice. Maria Félice was a miniaturist and the daughter of the musician Giovanni Battista Tibaldi. A portrait of her by Subleyras can be found at the Worcester Art Museum, Massachusetts, and forms an interesting comparison with this work as there is a distinct family resemblance. Maria Félice's sister, Giovanna, married a rich lawyer named Domenico Bagnara. Her elevated social status would account for the opulence of fur trimmed dress and jewelry in this portrait.