Vittorio Borriello (Italian-American, 1896-1974) Vittorio Borriello (Italian-American, 1896-1974) A young woman in a black hat, in profile signed and dated 'Boriello 1919' l.c., also signed and dated on label verso, oil on panel 35 x 21.5cm Provenance: The Estate of Sir Jack and Lady Baer. Borriello was born in Naples but moved to New York, living there until his death in 1974. The artist's ability to capture a profile with such intensity is highly skilled. Our eyes are focused on the smooth arc of the hat, executed in darkest black, its flair is in the elegant and sharp line it weaves around the sitter's head, which accentuates her fine jawline and elongated neck. The hat throws shade over the sitter's eyes creating a certain intrigue and mystery in relation to her identity. Keeping to a simple palette, Borriello creates depth and texture through a confident understanding of the paint. He finely works the flesh tones on the sitter's face and neck, while contrasting this against a much freer use of brushwork on the dress and background. Condition Report: Framed size: 53 x 39.5cm. Surface dirt, would benefit from a light clean, a thin crack to paint across cheek, please see images, appears to be stable, no other obvious flaws, not viewed under uv light, please contact the department for a full report.