I purchased this portrait from the son of it's original owner, who he told me she had "run" Bergdorf Goodman's in 1930s. I believe that was an exaggeration, but she did have some wonderful things, which he was selling off. This unsigned portrait might date from the 30s or so, I am not exactly sure; the artboard on which it was painted was at some point covered on the backside with a sort of adhesive vinyl, with the only information on it is a very faintly handwritten "cardinal."
The hat he wears I believe is a galero, a broad-brimmed hat with tasselated strings which was worn by Catholic clergy (until its banning in 1969). However, from what I understand it was typically priests and ministers who would wear black galeros, with the number of tassels indicating rank, while cardinals would wear red...so perhaps this portrait portrays a passage from one rank to another, which seems rather aligned with his youthfulness and rather searching expression (and I must say that without the red robe and tassel, I might take him for a farmer, or an artist!) In any event, I find it quite a beautifully painted, tender portrait.
16 1/4" x 13 7/8". Oil on board. There are a couple of diagonal surface scratches at lower left, and one very small surface scratch to his hat. Otherwise very good condition.
