Portrait of Francesco Pandolfini (Ritratto di Francesco Pandolfini)

The subject of the plaster is Francesco Pandolfini (Termini Imerese 1836-Milan 1916) well-known baritone and regular visitor at Benedetto Junck’s musical evenings. According to Rebora (2017), it is likely that Troubetzkoy met him during one of Junck’s social gatherings. The plaster was presented at the Famiglia Artistica’s exhibition of Milan in 1889: “At the back of the rooms, the plaster which resembles the baritone Pandolfini of Paul Troubetzkoy draws attention” (Alla Famiglia Artistica, 1889). According to Rebora (2017), the present artwork could be dated to 1889, as it resembles the portraits of Alfredo Catalani, Mr and Mrs Junck and that of Felice Cameroni, carried out in the same year. A bronze of the present bust is kept at the Museo Teatrale alla Scala of Milan, donated by Carlo Francesco Pandolfini, son of the baritone.

Paul Troubetzkoy (1866-1938), Italy, until 1938;
By descent to the heirs, Rhoda Muriel Marie Somerwell and Luigi Troubetzkoy;
Donated to the Museo del Paesaggio, 1938-1939

Esposizione Annuale alla Famiglia Artistica, Milano, 1889;
Paolo Troubetzkoy 1866-1938, Museo del Paesaggio, Verbania, 1990, n. 8

Alla Famiglia Artistica. L'esposizione in "Il Pungolo", 15-16 december 1889, p. 2;
Famiglia Artistica, in "La Perseveranza", 15 December 1889, p. 3;
Fontana, F., Le esposizioni artistiche per le feste natalizie in "L'Italia" 20-21 December 1889, p. 3;
L'esposizione della Famiglia Artistica, in "Il Pungolo", 15-16 December 1889, p. 2;
Macchi G., Alla Famiglia Artistica, in "La Lombardia", 20 december 1889, p. 2;
S. Rebora, in Paolo Troubetzkoy 1866-1938, exh. cat., Turin, 1990, pp. 84-85;
Paolo Troubetzkoy, La Collezione del Museo del Paesaggio, Palazzo Viani Dugnani, Verbania, 2017, p. 38