Francis Harwood, 1726/7–1783, British, active in ItalyFormerly attributed to Studio of Francis Harwood, 1726/7–1783, British, active in ItalyFormerly attributed to Francis Harwood, 1726/7–1783, British, active in Italy
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B2006.14.11
Gallery Label:
The use of dark stone to depict a figure of African heritage has precedents in architectural sculpture and decorative arts, but its use here, to create an autonomous portrait bust, is highly unusual for this period. Although it is not known whether this is a copy or an adaptation of an ancient bust, the closely observed scar at the man’s hairline suggests this likeness was observed from life. Yet the identity of this man is unknown. The bust was a product of Harwood’s studio in Florence, which met the demand from British travelers to Italy — known as Grand Tourists — for reproductions of famous sculptures from antiquity. The bust was bought by the Center’s benefactor Paul Mellon as a work by the Italian Renaissance sculptor Alessandro Vittoria (1525–1608). Another version of the bust, signed by Harwood, later helped establish this as a sculpture made in Harwood’s workshop. Gallery label for installation of YCBA collection, 2021