Portrait of Francesca Gommi Maratti
Portrait of Francesca Gommi Maratti
c. 1701
Carlo Maratti
(Italian, 1625-1713)
Oil on canvas
Overall: 98.5 x 74.5 cm (38 3/4 x 29 5/16 in.)
Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund 2018.1
Location
Download and Share
Fun Fact
The sitter holds a drawing representing Venus making Cupid's weapons, symbolizing the power of love to conquer all.
Description
In 1700 Carlo Maratti’s wife died, permitting him to marry his longtime mistress, Francesca Gommi, who began modeling for the artist in the 1670s and was the mother of his only child, Faustina. This painting was presumably painted shortly after the marriage as an homage from the artist to his new wife. To introduce an allegorical element into the composition, Maratti included a painting within a painting—in this case a drawing depicting Venus forging the love-darts of her adolescent son Cupid, suggesting that love will conquer all.
Contact us
The information about this object, including provenance information, is based on historic information and may not be currently accurate or complete. Research on objects is an ongoing process, but the information about this object may not reflect the most current information available to CMA. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.
To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.
Is something not working on this page? Please email help.website@clevelandart.org.
Request a digital file from Image Services that is not available through CC0, a detail image, or any image with a color bar. If you have questions about requesting an image, please email imageservices@clevelandart.org.