Francesco Albani (1578-1660)

The Property of ROBERT MAITLAND, ESQ.

Details

Francesco Albani (1578-1660)

Saint John the Baptist preaching in the Wilderness

on copper

oval

11½ x 15 3/8in. (29.2 x 39.2cm.)

Provenance

The Maréchal d'Estrées
Philippe, Duc d'Orléans (le Régent)
Louis, Duc d'Orléans
Philippe, Duc d'Orléans (Philippe Egalité)
Sold by him to M. Walkuers, a banker from Brussels, 1792
Sold by him to M. Laborde de Méréville, who brought this and the other Orléans Italian pictures to England
Sold by him to Jeremiah Harman, who made all the Orléans Italian pictures over to a syndicate consisting of the Duke of Bridgewater and Lords Carlisle and Gower (later Marquess of Stafford); exhibited for sale by private contract at Bryan's Gallery, 88 Pall Mall, London, for six months from 26 Dec. 1798, no.93, and purchased for 100gns. by John Maitland
John Maitland, Woodford Hall, Essex; (+) Christie's, 30 July 1831, lot 80 'Albano - St. John Preaching; an exquisite group of Figures assembled under a Tree, on the Bank of a Lake, in a beautiful Landscape - oval; from the Orléans Collection'; sold for 46gns. to Buchanan, presumably on behalf of a member of the Maitland family, and by direct descent to the present owner

Literature

Dubois de Saint-Gelais, Description des tableaux du Palais-Royal, 1737, no.137
J. Couché, La Galerie du Palais-Royal, gravée d'après les tableaux des différentes écoles qui la composent, I, 1786
G. F. Waagen, Treasures of Art in Great Britain, 1854, II, p.486
C. Stryienski, La Galerie du Regent Philippe, Duc d'Orléans, 1913, p.172, no.273

Engraved

Jacques Couché, for J. Couché, op. cit.

Lot Essay

Stryienski (loc. cit. and p.85) identifies as the Orléans picture a painting at Bowood, no.303; this is clearly incorrect as the present work has passed by direct descent from the purchaser at the Orléans sale

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