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UMBERTO GIUNTI attrib. to

PORTRAIT OF A LADY

UMBERTO GIUNTI attrib. to
Siena 1886 - 1970 Siena

Oil on panel
48.5 x 39 cm / 18.9 x 15.4 inches, with frame 67 x 57 cm / 26.4 x 22.4 inches

Once upon a time, Kenneth Clark, then Director of the National Gallery in London, was captivated by the charm of a particular Botticelli Madonna. He remarked that she had "something of the silent cinema star" about her, even comparing her to the actress Jean Harlow. What seemed at first a compliment to Botticelli’s genius soon took a different turn: the painting was later revealed to be not an original, but a brilliant forgery by Umberto Giunti (Siena 1886–1970), the most famous Tuscan falsario of the 20th century.
Nearly a century later, when I discovered this portrait at an Austrian auction, where it was offered as a 19th-century work, I was struck by the same impression: although inspired by Renaissance models, the lady’s face clearly echoed the Italian Neoclassicism of the 1930s. The purity of line and subtle elegance are traits often found in Giunti’s work, and they provide grounds for attributing this portrait to his hand.
The great Italian art historian Federico Zeri, who studied Tuscan art forgers in depth, also drew attention to Giunti. In his archives he described a distinctive style that went beyond simple imitation, marking Giunti out as an artist in his own right. Seen today, this portrait is more than a reinterpretation. It tells the story of how art, history, and identity intertwine. What was once created to deceive now invites us to reflect on authenticity and artistic value, while still preserving the timeless charm of Renaissance aesthetics. At the same time, it embodies the spirit of the 1930s Novecento movement, where past and present merge into a layered and compelling visual experience.

PROVENANCE
Austria, private collection

Base: Panel

Epoque: XX century

Genre: Portrait

School: Italian

Technic: Oil