Portrait of Sir Henry Peirse
Portrait of Henry Peirse is a painting completed by the Italian painter Pompeo Batoni and housed in the Pinacoteca of the Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica (Palazzo Barberini) in Rome, Italy.
| Portrait of Sir Henry Peirse | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Pompeo Batoni |
| Year | circa 1775 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 249 cm × 175 cm (98 in × 69 in) |
| Location | Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica, Rome |
Description
The portrait of Henry Peirse is signed and dated at the base of the balustrade. The work derives from the collection of Sir Henry de la Poer Beresford Peirse, a descendant of the depicted gentleman. The portrait was commissioned by the gentleman during a visit to Rome. The painting was acquired by the state in 1970. Behind Peirse, to the right is the statue of the Ludovisi Ares and to the left, a large decorative urn. At his feet is an architectural fragment, and his pet dog angles for attention.
Batoni profited from painting a number of such portraits with similar elements for other travelers, including a Portrait of John Chetwynd-Talbot (1773) on display at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. The style of Batoni's work reflects a transition from the decorative and dramatic Baroque to a more serene Neoclassicism, literally quoting from Ancient Classic sculpture.[1]