Mozart &
Material Culture

Pietro Fabris, Interieur a Naples. / Lord Seaforth / Sir Hamilton / Pugnani Virtuose / 1770 (Scottish National Portrait Gallery)

According to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, this painting represents a concert at the Neapolitan home of William Mackenzie, Lord Fortrose, who stands in the centre of the picture with his back to the viewer. William Hamilton is portrayed on the left; the violinist is Gaetano Pugnani and the artist appears in the lower left-hand corner. The two keyboard players are said to be Mozart and his father. A notation on the back of the picture reads: ‘Interieur a Naples. / Lord Seaforth [William Mackenzie, Lord Fortrose] / Sir Hamilton / Pugnani Virtuose / 1770.’ The painting within the painting, however, is dated ‘P. Fabris p. 1771’, presumably by the artist himself. Mozart and his father met Pugnani in Turin in January 1771; there is no evidence that they met him earlier, in Naples in 1770, and the painting — even if it does represent Mozart and his father — may have been executed after their stay at Naples.

The Fabris portrait is also included in the Mozart Portraits theme.