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Ordination is one of the most beautiful and important works by the acknowledged father of French painting. Held in the family of the Dukes of Rutland for over 200 years, the sale of this picture at Christie’s King Street will be an historic event. There is no known precedent for Poussin’s series, showing the origins of the sacraments in the early church with great archaeological accuracy.
Mary, Countess of Wilton, was the daughter of Edward Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby. She married Thomas Egerton, 2nd Earl of Wilton, in 1821. This portrait, made the year before Lawrence’s death, captures Lady Wilton’s youth and quiet beauty. Lady Wilton's fashionable red dress and jewellery emphasise her elegance and social standing
A key example of late 15th century painting in Bruges, this exquisitely preserved and remarkable panel is ambitiously composed and executed with true finesse. The figures, set in a complex hierarchy within a contemporary interior, are portrayed with great realism.
A key example of late 15th century painting in Bruges, this exquisitely preserved and remarkable panel is ambitiously composed and executed with true finesse. The figures, set in a complex hierarchy within a contemporary interior, are portrayed with great realism.
Claude was the greatest painter of the Ideal Landscape; his compositions were never equaled in their harmony and refinement. Using his studies of nature and a unifying tonal light, Claude subtly built-up his landscapes to their poetic perfection. This picture, an early example of the artist’s sensitivity, is in a particularly fine state of conservation.
Inspired by the romantic landscapes of Italy – though with intended echoes of Ancient Greece – this ‘heroic landscape’ is a deeply religious work. Koch was a member of the Nazarenes, Rome-based artists committed to the purification of art. The strongly Christian sensibility is symbolised by the rainbow that literally encloses the painting, reflecting God’s dominion over all things.
The portraitist of choice amongst Amsterdam’s regent and merchant elite, van der Helst is renowned for his elegance and refinement of technique. The thoughtful placement of his richly attired sitters against the countryside of Haarlem further denotes their prosperity, as the area was known to be a popular retreat for wealthy Amsterdam citizens.
The battle between Carnival and Lent is one of the most recognisable images within the entire Brueghelian oeuvre. It is also one of the rarest and this is one of only five know versions by Pieter Breghel the Younger.