Renaissance Italian Oil Painting Ludovico di Giovanni de' Medici Follower Carlo Portelli

For Sale: Painting 16th Century Renaissance Style Antique Italian Portrait – Follower of Carlo Portelli
Subject: Ludovico di Giovanni de' Medici
Oil on Panel | Elaborate Gilded Frame 

Step into the opulent world of Renaissance Florence with this striking Italian portrait, depicting Ludovico di Giovanni de' Medici, a member of the powerful Medici family. Rendered with commanding presence and noble restraint, the sitter is clad in full armor, his gaze turned resolutely into the distance—a timeless symbol of authority, power, and lineage.

Biography of Ludovico de' Medici, also known as Giovanni delle Bande Nere (6 April 1498 – 30 November 1526) was an Italian condottiero. He is known for leading the Black Bands and serving valiantly in military combat under his third cousins, Pope Leo X and Pope Clement VII, in the War of Urbino and the War of the League of Cognac, respectively. Giovanni was born in the Northern Italian town of Forlì to Giovanni de' Medici il Popolano and Caterina Sforza, one of the most famous women of the Italian Renaissance.

From an early age, he demonstrated great interest and ability in physical activity, especially the martial arts of the age, such as horse riding and sword fighting. He committed his first murder at the age of 12 and was twice banished from the city of Florence for his unruly behaviour. He had a son, Cosimo (1519–1574), who went on to become the Grand Duke of Tuscany.

Giovanni became a condottiero, or mercenary military captain, in the employ of Pope Leo X (Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici) and on 5 March 1516 led the war against Francesco Maria I della Rovere, Duke of Urbino. He thenceforth formed a company of his own, mounted on light horses and specializing in fast but devastating skirmishing tactics and ambushes. In 1520 he defeated several rebel barons in the Marche. The following year Leo X allied with Emperor Charles V against King Francis I of France to regain Milan, Parma and Piacenza; Giovanni was called in under the command of Prospero Colonna, defeating the French at Vaprio d'Adda in November. His spouse was Maria Salviati

As a symbol of mourning for the death of Pope Leo X (1 December 1521), Giovanni added black stripes to his insignia, whence comes his nickname, Giovanni delle Bande Nere (or Giovanni of the Black Bands). In August 1523 he was hired by the Imperial army, and in January 1524 he defeated the French and the Swiss at Caprino Bergamasco. In the same year another Medici, Giulio di Giuliano, became Pope and took the name of Clement VII. The new Pope paid all of Giovanni's debt, but in exchange ordered him to switch to the French side of the ongoing conflict. He did not take part in the battle of Pavia, but was soon severely wounded in a skirmish and later had to move to Venice to recuperate from his wounds.

In 1526, the War of the League of Cognac broke out. The League's captain general, Francesco Maria I della Rovere, abandoned Milan in the face of the overwhelming superiority of the Imperial army led by Georg von Frundsberg. Giovanni was able to defeat the Landsknechts rearguard, at the confluence of the Mincio with the Po River. On the evening of 25 November he was hit by a shot from a falconet in a battle near Governolo. According to a contemporary account by Luigi Guicciardini, the ball shattered his right leg above the knee and he had to be carried to San Nicolò Po, near Bagnolo San Vito, where no doctor could be found. He was taken to Aloisio Gonzaga's palace, marquis of Castel Goffredo, in Mantua, where the surgeon Abramo, who had cared for him two years earlier, amputated his leg. To perform the operation Abramo asked for 10 men to hold down the stricken condottiero.

Giovanni's premature death metaphorically signalled the end of the age of the condottieri, as their mode of fighting (which emphasized armoured knights on horseback) was rendered practically obsolete by the introduction of pike-armed infantry. He is therefore known as the last of the great Italian condottieri. 

Attributed to a Follower of Carlo Portelli

This captivating piece is attributed to a follower of Carlo Portelli, a prominent painter of the Florentine Mannerist school. Portelli was known for his refined technique, dramatic lighting, and stylized forms—all characteristics echoed in this arresting work. The artist's attention to detail in the reflective surfaces of the armor and the subtle gradations of the backdrop speaks to a mastery of form and light, hallmarks of the late Renaissance.

Features:

• Medium: Watercolour on panel
  

• Frame: Original Fiorentine carved giltwood frame, with a front protective glass cover.

• Subject: Ludovico di Giovanni de' Medici

• Style: Florentine Mannerism, attributed to a follower of Carlo Portelli

• Era: Circa 19th century.

• Frame: Original intricately carved and gilded wood frame with acanthus and shell motifs

• Condition:
  

  • The front painting surface is in good overall order, having foxing staining & minor paint loss towards the edge commensurate with usage & old age. The frame has general signs of wear, scuffs, scratches, some losses in places commensurate with usage & age.

Provenance: Private southern shire collection, labels verso, high end southern shire auction, Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD

Historical Significance:

Ludovico di Giovanni de' Medici was a nobleman tied to one of the most influential dynasties in European history. His portrayal in full armor not only commemorates his noble status but also serves as a symbolic link to the military and political prowess of the Medici lineage.

Why This Painting Stands Out:

• A rare depiction of a Medici family member in a private, almost introspective pose

• Richly detailed armor reflecting Florentine craftsmanship

• Museum-quality frame that enhances the work’s grandeur

• Ideal for collectors of Renaissance art, Medici memorabilia, or period portraits

Dimensions:

• Frame size: High (24.5 cm) Width (23 cm) Length depth thickness of frame (2.5 cm)

Shipping and professional handling available worldwide.

Don’t miss this opportunity to own a piece of Renaissance history—perfect for distinguished interiors, private collections, or curated galleries.