Lot 557
557
After Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael
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After Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael

The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist

Details
After Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael
The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist
inscribed 'ECCE AGNVS DEI' (lower left)
oil on canvas
54½ x 47¾ in. (139 x 121.5 cm.)
in a George II giltwood swept frame
Provenance
(Purportedly) Sir Luke Schaube.
Bought by the Duchess of Portland for £703 in 1817.
Bought at a sale of Welbeck pictures for £20 by
Alleyne FitzHerbert, 1st Baron St. Helens (1753-1839), and by descent to his nephew
Sir Henry FitzHerbert, 3rd Bt. (1783-1858).
Literature
A Catalogue of some of the Pictures at Tissington Hall the seat of Sir William FitzHerbert Baronet, 1859, either 'Back Drawing Room - 1 The Holy Family.- Raphael.' or '8 The Holy Family.- Raphael.'
Catalogue of Pictures and Curios at Tissington Hall, 1887, by Ida, daughter of Sir William FitzHerbert, 4th Bt., 'Holy Family. Raphael - This picture belonged formerly to Sir Luke Schaube afterwards to the Duchess of Portland, then to Lord St. Helens who bought it for £20 at a sale of Welbeck pictures, and left it to his nephew Sir Henry FitzHerbert, 3rd Bt.'
Nora FitzHerbert, Tissington Hall - Pictures, 1938, 'No. 103. In West Drawing Room'
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

According to Nora FitzHerbert's hand-written post-script to her 1938 Catalogue, 'The original painting of this picture was kept for 200 years in the Vatican. It was purchased by an unknown purchaser and in 1939 was insured for £50,000. and exhibited at the Leicester Galleries, London in Summer of 1939 and also at Blackpool the same year.' This would seem to refer not to the prototype but to another early copy of which Nora FitzHerbert may have been aware; the prototype is Raphael's celebrated adonna della Quercia, 'of the Oak Tree' (Madrid, Museo del Prado).

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