Giovanni Battista Salvi, called Sassoferrato

Giuseppe Bianchi, Milan;

Acquired from the above by James Irvine on behalf of Sir William Forbes, 7th Baronet of Pitsligo (1773–1828), of Fettercairn, Kincardineshire, 27 June 1827, in Milan, for 20 Louis (the seal of the Accademia di Milano affixed to the reverse);

By descent to his son Sir John Stuart Hepburn-Forbes, 8th Baronet of Pitsligo (1804–1866);

By inheritance to his son-in-law Charles Trefusis, 20th Baron Clinton (1834–1904);

Thence by descent to the present owner.

Fettercairn House inventory, 1917 (Sitting Room);

Fettercairn House inventory, 1930 (Sitting Room).

This painting is in a fantastic state of preservation . The canvas is unlined and secure on its presumably original stretcher. On the front stretcher marks are visible. The paint surface is impeccably preserved with only a few small restored losses, the largest of which are beneath her left eye (1 by 0.5cm), in the shadow below her chin and on the back of the knot of her blue headdress. There are a few tiny spot retouchings elsewhere but all are very minor and in no way denigrate the outstanding beauty of this work. Sold in a gilt frame with some losses to the beading.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

'...finding it a good specimen of the master and in fine preservation and considering its price I thought it best to include it.'¹

The present composition, showing the Madonna in the midst of quiet prayer, was one of Sassoferrato's most celebrated compositions and was utilised by the artist throughout his career. It is of no surprise that a work of this type by this celebrated artist was top of Irvine's list of paintings to source for his patron. This, and the Saint John the Baptist by a follower of Raphael (lot 10 in this sale), were the very first of the paintings that James Irvine purchased for Sir William Forbes in the summer of 1827. Irvine had travelled from Rome to Milan, and purchased the painting for what he considered the very reasonable price of 20 Louis from Giuseppe Bianchi.

Giovanni Battista Salvi, more commonly known as 'Sassoferrato', after the town in which he was born, learned the rudiments of painting from his father Tarquino before embarking on a trip to Rome. There he studied the works of his contemporaries, including Reni, Domenichino, and the Carracci. His greatest influence, however, was Raphael and he is known to have directly copied the latter's compositions (see, for example, Sassoferrato's Madonna and Child at the Galleria Sabauda, Turin, which is directly based on Raphael's Madonna of the Pinks, National Gallery, London).² Despite being an accomplished portraitist, Sassoferrato specialised in easel paintings of a devotional nature, usually representing the Madonna, alone or with the Christ Child, of which this Madonna is an excellent and beautifully well preserved example. The large number of autograph and studio replicas of Sassoferrato's compositions attest to the popularity they enjoyed within the artist's own lifetime.

1. Letter from James Irvine to Sir William Forbes, 1827 (otherwise undated).

2. Inv. no. 482 and NG6596 respectively.