St. Francis de Paula: P.15026-R

Current Location: In storage

Titles

St. Francis de Paula

Maker(s)

Printmaker: McArdell, James
Publisher: McArdell, James
Painter: Murillo, Bartolomé Esteban (After)

Entities

Description

After the painting by Murillo, The Vision of Saint Francis of Paola (c.1670; The J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu, U.S.A, 2003.144). Saint Francis, an old bearded man wearing a monk's habit, kneels on a coastal path, the sea visible beyond and to the left. Seen in three-quarter profile to the left, he gestures with his right hand and leans on a stick held in his left. He witnesses a Heavenly vision at upper left in the form of an aureole of golden light with the word: 'CHA / RI / TAS' at the centre which is accompanied by a host of cherubs. Saint Francis of Paola (1416-1507) was the founder of the Order of Minims, a religious order committed to perpetual abstinence and acts of humility.

Notes

History note: VanSittart gave 1,485 engravings to the Fitzwilliam Museum in 1879 and this mezzotint was probably included within this group. The number written in graphite in large script on the verso presumably relates to some kind of count by curators at the time of the acquisition.

Legal notes

Given by Augustus Arthur VanSittart, ?1879

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1879) by VanSittart, Augustus Arthur

Dating

18th Century#
Circa 1760 - Circa 1765

Note

Mezzotint printed in brown ink in the same direction as the painting. Proof before all letters and with ground still visible in the inscription space. An early state which is undescribed in Goodwin, who records the fully-lettered state with the engraved title: 'St. Francis de Paula'. The print was published (date unknown) by McArdell at Covent Garden where he was located by 1754 and, as stated in the fully-lettered state, reproduced the painting by Murillo in the possession of John Blackwood. See BM: 1877,0210.224. Inscribed in graphite on the recto at the centre of the inscription space: 'Ann Windsor' and below the platemark to the left: 'Murillo'. Inscribed in graphite on the verso: 'Vansittart Collection / 530 / m 13 / 10-6 [a half-guinea]'. Murillo's painting was in the collection of the art dealer, John Blackwood (1696-1777) from around 1760. See Notes.

School or Style

Irish

Techniques used in production

Mezzotint

Identification numbers

Accession number: P.15026-R
Primary reference Number: 240088
Goodwin (McArdell): 217 (undescribed state)
Chaloner Smith: undescribed (referenced as 'St. Francis, after Murillo' in introduction, p.835)
Nagler (Künstler-Lexicon): undescribed
Stable URI