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Lot Essay
The present lot may be the picture referenced in Giovanni Gherardo De Rossi's biography of the artist. Following his discussion of Kauffman's altarpiece of the Virgin Mary with the Holy Trinity that she painted for the parish church in Schwarzenberg in 1801, De Rossi notes: 'Dipinse anche una mezza figura di S. Maria Egiziaca penitente' (G.G. De Rossi, Vita di Angelica Kauffmann, 1810, p. 92).
Kauffman painted this subject twice. Her 'Memorie delle pitture' lists a picture gifted in October 1785 to Marchese Nicola Vivenzio, 'avocatto fiscale di Napoli'. It is described as 'un quadretto di circa un p.de con una figura Repr.te Sta Maria Egiziaca nell deserto in una grota in atto di adorare la croce' (C. Knight, 1998, p. 32). This version was very small, 'un quadretto' of only about one 'piede' or approximately 30-38 cm., which would seem appropriate for a small gift for a Neapolitan official during her stay there. The 'Maria egiziaca' mentioned by De Rossi in his 1810 biography is a later version made in 1801, probably the present lot.
We are grateful to Professor Wendy Wassyng Roworth for her kind assistance preparing this catalogue entry.
Kauffman painted this subject twice. Her 'Memorie delle pitture' lists a picture gifted in October 1785 to Marchese Nicola Vivenzio, 'avocatto fiscale di Napoli'. It is described as 'un quadretto di circa un p.de con una figura Repr.te Sta Maria Egiziaca nell deserto in una grota in atto di adorare la croce' (C. Knight, 1998, p. 32). This version was very small, 'un quadretto' of only about one 'piede' or approximately 30-38 cm., which would seem appropriate for a small gift for a Neapolitan official during her stay there. The 'Maria egiziaca' mentioned by De Rossi in his 1810 biography is a later version made in 1801, probably the present lot.
We are grateful to Professor Wendy Wassyng Roworth for her kind assistance preparing this catalogue entry.