Laid down in recent time on canvas and on a stretcher. It appears generally in good condition. There could be a crease to the left lower part of the boy's face and on the mouth, visible with raking light . There are repaired losses around the edges and the right lower corner appears to have been restored and made up. It is sold in a wooden and gilded reproduction frame.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The subject of this delightful and rare portrait is the young Federico Ubaldo della Rovere, only son of Francesco Maria II, Duke of Urbino.  Federico was born in Urbino on 16 May 1605, a great event for the 'ducato'.  As an only child and the heir to the Dukedom, the prince spent most of his life surrounded by courtiers, enjoying music and theater, and acting in plays at court.  In 1621, at the age of sixteen, Federico Ubaldo married Claudia de' Medici, daughter of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Ferdinando II.  At this moment he was given most of the responsibilities of the Dukedom, his father Francesco Maria virtually abdicating in his favor.  Federico died in mysterious circumstances only two years later, and the Duchy passed into the possession of the Papal States, signalling the demise of Urbino as an extraordinary center of art and culture. Claudio Ridolfi, a painter from Verona, was trained in Venice in the workshop of Paolo Veronese.  After the death of the master in 1588, he left Venice, and in 1590 he was already in Urbino.  Ridolfi worked extensively for the court, especially in the early years of the 17th Century, and it is interesting to note that although his previous artistic production mainly consisted of religious subjects, at the court of the della Rovere he mostly painted portraits.  The account book of the Duke of Urbino lists at least three portraits by Ridolfi of Federico Ubaldo, including the full length portrait at five years of age, holding a falcon, now in the Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence (fig. 1).

A fascinating aspect of this work is the strong evidence of the influence of Federico Barocci's style and technique, with his luminous palette, especially in the pink tonalities in the rendering of the flesh, and freedom of execution characterized by broad brush strokes over delicate layers of paint.  Barocci seems to have been one of the first Italian artists to make head studies in oil on paper in preparation for his paintings.  The present oil on paper, larger than actual size, must surely have been done in preparation for an official portrait, and it is clearly executed from life, retaining in the quick and lively execution all the naturalistic features and expression of the young child looking directly towards the painter.