Lot 237: Jacopo Vignali (Pratovecchio 1592-1664 Firenze)

Saint James the Greater
oil on canvas, oval
40 1/2 x 33 1/4 in. (102.9 x 84.5 cm.)

Probably acquired by John, 1st Lord Savile, G.C.B. (1818-1896), Ambassador to Italy 1883-7, and by inheritance at Rufford Abbey, Nottinghamshire; Christie's, London, 18 November 1938, lot 23 as 'G. de Crayer', where acquired for 21 gns. by an ancestor of the present owner.

THE PROPERTY OF A LADY

This is a newly discovered picture by Jacopo Vignali that was catalogued as from the circle of Gaspard de Crayer when it last appeared on the art market in 1938 (see provenance). The new attribution to Vignali has kindly been proposed by Francesca Baldassari who suggests a date in the early 1630s, on inspection of the original. By this time, Vignali, who had studied under Matteo Roselli, had evolved his own distinctive style characterised by dramatic light effects, rich colour and a particularly poetic and emotional interpretation of his subjects.

Examination of the canvas edges indicates that the oval format is original, which is somewhat unusual for the artist. Given the nature of the subject, one might expect it to have originally formed a set or pair of paintings, akin to Dolci's depictions of the Evangelists, but the present work cannot be linked to any other.

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.