Sale 1620, Lot 97 Joseph Mallord William Turner, RA (London 1775-1851) Giudecca, La Donna della Salute and San Giorgio Oil on canvas 24 x 36 in. (61 x 91.5 cm.) Estimate on request Turner's Masterpiece Turner regularly visited Venice and executed approximately 150 watercolours of the Italian city. Back in London, he developed three oil paintings from these watercolors for the Royal Academy of Arts Exhibition of 1841. The loose and Impressionistic style of these pictures attracted admirers and critics alike but the Art Union hailed Giudecca, La Donna della Salute and San Giorgio as 'a glorious example of color, leaving, as usual, much to the fancy of the spectator; and absolutely extorting applause'. Exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts no fewer than four times, the work was purchased from the 1841 Exhibition by Elhanan Bicknell for 250 guineas. In 1863, it was sold at Christie's for 1,650 guineas. In 1897, Christie's sold the painting again for 6,800 guineas to Sir Donald Currie. In 1959, his grandson sold the work through Agnew's for an undisclosed sum to William Wood Prince. Agnew's sold the painting, again, in 1992 to a private collector who donated the work to the St. Francis of Assisi Foundation in New York, the current seller. The St Francis of Assisi Foundation is a not-for-profit institution incorporated in New York State to receive bequests and donations both in kind and money to support and promote the missionary effort of the Capuchin Order of Friars Minor. The Foundation makes grants to sustain the expanding missionary presence of more than 1,800 Capuchin priests and brothers in 22 countries of Asia/Oceania, 1,350 priests and brothers in 30 countries of Africa, 1,800 priests and brothers in 20 countries of Latin America and approximately 900 priests and brothers in 14 countries of Eastern Europe.