Portrait of King of Sardinia Vittorio Amedeo III of Savoy. Entourage of Giuseppe Panelalbo.

Portrait of Vittorio Amedeo III of Savoy (Turin, 26 June 1726 – Moncalieri, 16 October 1796) was king of Sardinia, duke of Savoy, and sovereign of the Savoy state from 1773 to 1796.
Painting from the Piedmontese school, the sphere of Giovanni Panealbo  (1742–1815), court painter of the Savoy.
Datable to the last quarter of the 18th century.
Technique: oil on canvas. Original canvas still present.
The painting is in good condition, it has no significant defects to point out, it has a normal crack for the time on the canvas. The painting has retained its bright colors, and was recently cleaned by a professional and experienced restorer.

The sovereign is represented in military armor and royal clothes. Around his neck he has a very important honor for the House of Savoy: the Order of the Annunzuata. A large gold pendant, representing the Annunciation scene, with archangel in front of the kneeling Virgin Mary. Red cloak with the interior lined with fur and ermine is a further monarchical symbol. The crown rests on the vermilion red cushion. In the Duchy of Savoy (1416-1713) and then in the Kingdom of Sardinia (1720-1861) the coronation ceremony never existed and the reign of a new sovereign began with an oath ceremony, as the ancient Italian states were nominally also imperial fiefdoms and had different rituals than the great central European monarchies.

Antique painted wooden frame.

*Giovanni Panealbo, portrait painter, was a pupil of Beaumont in Turin with regards to drawing and Batoni's painting in Rome, where he was sent in 1772, with the support of Vittorio Amedeo and Maria Antonia, still dukes. Between 1774 and 1779 he painted portraits for the Royal House and in 1779 he obtained permission to move not only to Italy, but also to France to perfect his art. From 1782 he was appointed "portrait painter" by the sovereign with a salary of £300 and in 1789 he was appointed member of the Royal Academy. His activity is documented until 1799.