A. L. Genovese - Abstract

The article looks at the story of a supposed self-portrait of Raffaello, in the nineteenth century owned by Don Marcello Massarenti, collector and owner of a "Museum" in Palazzo Accoramboni at Rome. Presented as the self-portrait promised by Raffaello to Francesco Francia, the painting was lithographed and published in the catalogs of the priest's collection, which was able to sell it to magnate Henry Walters of Baltimore. The analysis of archival documents about the request for a sale and export permit abroad, in 1902, revealed the existence of a copy of the same painting acquired controversially by the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica at Rome, in addition to work relationship between Massarenti and the painter Luigi Gregori, revealing the true origin of the portrait.