St. Vincent Ferrere Kneeling Before the Virgin and Child, Venice, about 1540

Miniature on the frontispiece of a Ducale on vellum: 225 x 155 mm.; 8 7/8 x 6 1/8 inches

Provenance:

1. This is the frontispiece of a Ducale issued by Pietro Lando (who was Doge of Venice 1537-1543) to a member of the Ghisi family of Venice.

2. William Young Ottley (1771-1836). Included in the sale of the Ottley Collection in 1838 (Sotheby’s May 12, 1838: lot 228 where catalogued as "by Beneditto Bordone, about 1538") and where sold for f. 1.11s to "Rodd for Holford".

3. Robert Stayner Holford (1808-1892): Holford catalogue, no. 75, plate LXIX. A.N.L. Munby: Connoisseurs and Medieval Miniatures, 1972, p. 147 described Holford:

If one wished to depict an Ideal Connoisseur the result might well resemble Robert Holford. With his long hair, imperial beard, wide brimmed hat, and much be-frogged cloak he looked more like a spruce Dante Rossetti than a millionaire who changed the appearance of central London by erecting Park Lane and his vast Italianate palace, Dorchester House.

4. Sir George Holford (1860-1926). Acquired by descent from Robert Stayner Holford.

5. Edwards Collection, from the George Holford Collection Sale July 12, 1927, lot 47.

Notes:

1. The Virgin is shown seated by a classical pillar with the Child on her lap pointing towards St. Vincent. St. Vincent, kneeling, holds flames, a triple lily and a book. All is set with a landscape background. The miniature is in an oval cartouche 90 x 100mm. with the Venetian Lion of St. Mark below. There is a full border of gold and colored flowers on a pale blue ground with vignettes of Justice (in a classical landscape) and two classical maidens (in camaieu d’or). The arms of Ghisi of Venice are suspended in a landscape and flanked by his initials "V.G." together with the opening of the text in a central panel in gold capitals (with some offsetting of the script below the miniature) on a red ground.

2. Over the centuries, this subject traditionally has been indicated as St. Anthony of Padua. Part of this mistake was caused by the fact that St. Anthony and St. Vincent were both dressed as Dominicans. St. Anthony, however, is usually depicted with the Christ Child in his arms, while St. Vincent is never depicted with the Christ Child in his arms. In this case, with the typical flames in his hands (these are also sometimes on his head), the subject of this work could only be St. Vincent Ferrere.