"The Garden Bench"

1874

“THE GARDEN BENCH” (Italian, dated 1874) an oil on board painting by Giovanni Boldini (Italian, 1842-1931). The foreground features the subject (the artist's model, Berthe) shown cross legged and seated on a wooden bench with a shawl and parasol to her right, reading. The middle ground shows flowers and trees in bloom, while the background features an architectural structure. It is signed at the lower left corner: "Boldini-74" and housed in a plain gold frame with an applied brass plaque reading: "Boldini". Written in pencil on back of panel: "WKV a Consuelo 1888", the painting was a gift from William K. Vanderbilt to his daughter Consuelo.

Italian

Oil on board

Image: H: 7 5/16" W: 5 3/4"

Framed: H: 10" W: 8 1/2"

Gift of the Estate of Gertrude Conway Vanderbilt, 1979.

PSNC.323

The Magazine Antiques (April, 1995) P. 598, Pl.1