Salvator Rosa (1615-1673)

Saint John the Baptist preaching

Details

Salvator Rosa (1615-1673)
Rosa, S.
Saint John the Baptist preaching
signed 'S.Rosa' and with inscriptions 'Salvator Rosa' (recto and verso)
black chalk, pen and brown ink, brown wash
15 x 10.5/8 in. (380 x 271 mm.)

Provenance

J. Bouverie (L. 325).
Mr. Hervey, 1820, by descent; Christie's London, 20 July 1859, lot 147 (2 gns. to Tiffin).
Charles, 1st Earl of Gainsborough.
The Rev. Cyril Putteril, by descent to
The Rev. Conrad Noel.
Anon. sale, Christie's London, 27 November 1973, lot 261.
Anon. sale, Christie's London, 3 July 1990, lot 88.

Literature

H. Reveley, Notices Illustrative of the Drawings and Sketches of Some of the Most Distinguished Masters, London, 1820.
M. Mahoney, The Drawings of Salvator Rosa, New York, 1977, no. 68.9.

Engraved

by Sante Pacini, 1769.

Lot Essay

The drawing is dated by Michael Mahoney to the early 1660s. Also from this period is a picture of the same subject, with more figures and in reverse, L. Salerno, Salvator Rosa, Milan, 1963, pl. XVIII.
An old copy of the present drawing is in the Uffizi, M. Mahoney, op. cit., fig. 68.9A.
The degree of finish, the size and the signature on this drawing show that it was executed as a finished work of art similarly to these in the Ferretti di Castelferretto collection sold at Christie's London, 2 July 1996, lots 77-8.