La quadreria di un "viaggiatore di professione": dipinti del Quattrocento e Cinquecento dalla collezione di Clemente Bordato

The paper reconstructs the biography of the courier Clemente Bordato (born 1823) and his little-known collecting activity in the context of the petite bourgeoisie in Venice during the Habsburg rule. It retraces the creation and the dispersal of his collection of Old Masters and, by cross-referencing information from two catalogues, contemporary sources, and historic photographs, it proposes the identification of eight paintings formerly in his gallery. These works – which are now scattered in museums and galleries worldwide – did not re-emerge on the art market until the 20th century or in very recent years, as is the case of a Virgin and Child by Giovanni Bellini. This research thus provides new insights into their material alterations, changes of ownership and earlier provenance.