This portrait of gian gastone de' medici was commissioned to the dutch painter adriaen van der werff by the prince's brother-in-law, the elector palatine of the rhine john wilhelm, in july 1698, simultaneously being the portrait and portrait artist for a short period in düsseldorf. In a letter to his father cosimo iii, grand duke of tuscany, dated 26 july 1698, the prince complained about the tedium of having to pose for three days to have his face portrayed, as the painter was "a little constipated and well off" (i. E. Slow and taking his time). In another letter, written on the same day, anna maria luisa, sister of gian gastone and wife of the elector palatine, wrote to her uncle: «gio[van] gastone paints himself, i won't say with his own supreme taste, but rather with the elector, who wanted it as there is a good painter from holland, and we are here in his room to keep him happy». The painting was completed only seven years later, in 1704. Object Type: painting. Genre: portrait. Date: 1705. Dimensions: height: 131.5 cm (51.7 in) ; width: 107.5 cm (42.3 in). Medium: oil on canvas. Depicted People: Gian Gastone de' Medici. Collection: Johann Wilhelm von der Pfalz collection. Van der Werff, Adriaen - Gian Gastone de' Medici, 1698-1704
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