Portrait of Vittorio Alfieri

Vittorio Alfieri (1749-1803) was an Italian tragic poet whose predominant theme was the overthrow of tyranny.

To glorify the personality of this writer of tragedies, Fabre has clearly added to the faithfulness of the portrait a heroic tone, evident in the facial expression and the pose of the raised arm over which the brown mantle is slung all’antica.

Beyond its value as a historical document, the work is also a striking example of the more severely classicistic current which emerged from the school of David, of whom Fabre was a pupil and close follower.

The painting is signed and dated in the lower right corner, “F. X. Fabre Florentia 1793”, and on the reverse bears a famous sonnet written by the poet, dated 18 August 1794.