Beschreibung:

Wilhelm Schubert van EhrenbergAntwerp 1630 - after 1687A view of the interior of Saint Peter's Basilica, Rome
signed and dated lower centre: W.S. von Ehrenberg f 1665oil on canvasunframed: 167 x 137 cm.; 65¾ x 53⅞ in.framed: 202 x 172 cm.; 79½ x 67¾ in.Condition reportThe canvas is lined and the paint surface is clean. The entire canvas is covered in a modern varnish. There is evidence of some monies damages in the top right corner and bottom left corner. There is evidence if incredible we'll preserve impasto throughout particularly in the architectural details which are weary well painted and smilingly we'll preserve throughout. There seems to be minor abrasion in the dark of the columns on the right. Inspection under ultra violet light confirm the aforementioned damages and shows minor scattered retouching throughout. There are some damages visible in small areas of the canvas including centre left, centre right and an old tear visible to the left of the main arch at the back of the church. There appears to be minor strengthening in the figures throughout. There is also an old damage located in the bottom right margin. There is minor retouching along all of the margins. The paintings presents very well and is in good conditions considering its size and age.
The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot and is for guidance only. Any reference to condition in the condition report for the lot does not amount to a full description of condition. The images of the lot form part of the condition report for the lot. Certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot. In particular, the online images may represent colors and shades which are different to the lot's actual color and shades. The condition report for the lot may make reference to particular imperfections of the lot but you should note that the lot may have other faults not expressly referred to in the condition report for the lot or shown in the online images of the lot. The condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alteration or adaptation. The condition report is a statement of opinion only. For that reason, the condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS ONLINE CONDITION REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE/BUSINESS APPLICABLE TO THE RESPECTIVE SALE.ProvenancePope Pius VII (1742–1823), by whom gifted toColonel Bernard Eugène Rottiers (1771–1857), Belgium;Lord Charles Townshend (1785–1853), by 1850;Dr Anderson;Henri Louis Bischoffsheim (1829–1908);His sale, London, Christie's, 7 May 1926, lot 32, 65 guineas to Goldschmidt;Anonymous sale ('The Property of Ralph Vicars'), London, Christie's, 25 February 1949, lot 111, 30 guineas to Arcade Galleries;With Arcade Galleries, London;Anonymous sale ('The Property of Miss D.E. Bramhall'), London, Christie's, 15 June 1956, lot 147, for 190 guineas to Drey;With Drey, London;Anonymous sale, London, Sotheby's, 18 November 1959, lot 77, £300 to Vaughan;Anonymous sale, London, Christie's South Kensington, 17 June 2015, lot 25;Where acquired by the current owner.LiteratureA. Wurzbach, Niederländisches Künstlerlexikon, Amsterdam 1906, vol. 1, p. 486;A. Graves, A Century of Loan Exhibitions 1813–1912, London 1913, vol. 1, p. 321.ExhibitedLondon, British Institution, Pictures by Italian, Spanish, Flemish, Dutch, French and English Masters, June 1850, no. 79.Catalogue noteDated 1665, this painting is an early and important view of the interior of Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. Its importance lies in its depiction of many of the architectural and decorative achievements of one of the titans of Italian baroque art, Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598–1680).
This monumental canvas provides a view straight down the nave of the Basilica. It captures all of the intricate details of the architectural mouldings, gilded ceiling bosses, and painted altarpieces (many of which were replaced with mosaics in the next century). Notably, the painting features Bernini’s 29-meter-high Baldachin, which was commissioned by Pope Urban VIII and remains one of the artist's most important architectural and sculptural works. Consisting of a sculpted bronze canopy, this addition to the basilica's interior was inaugurated on 29 June 1633 only a few decades before this painting was executed.
The inscription at the lower edge of the canvas records that this painting is based on precise measurements, and is accompanied by a scale which is measured in roman feet (1 roman foot = circa 29.6 cm.). This unusual feature was no doubt intended to emphasise the grandeur of this important architectural interior.
When this painting was sold in 2015 it was suggested that the figures were probably painted by Charles Emmanuel Biset (1633–1710), a known collaborator of Van Ehrenberg.
Note on ProvenanceThis painting is said to have been in the collection of Pope Pius VII (1742–1823), the pontiff who famously defied Napoleon and was for a time imprisoned in France. A keen supporter of archaeological excavations, it is possible that Pope Pius gifted this painting to Colonel Bernard Eugène Rottiers due to their mutual interest in the financing of archaeological excavations and the collection of antiquities. Rottiers's collection of antiquities is now part of the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden. The painting then entered the collection of Lord Charles Townshend, who is listed at the owner of the picture when it was exhibited in 1850 (see under Exhibited).