- 4
Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant
Estimate
30,000 - 40,000 USD
Log in to view results
bidding is closed
Description
- Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant
- Saint John Chrysostom Exiled by the Empress Eudoxia
- signed Benj-Constant (lower right)
- oil on canvas
- 38 5/8 by 31 1/8 in.
- 98 by 79 cm
Provenance
Sale: Sotheby's, New York, June 4, 1975, lot 197, illustrated (as The Empress Theodora Receiving an Ambassador)
Schweitzer Galleries, New York
Private collection, Japan
Acquired from the above by the present owner
Schweitzer Galleries, New York
Private collection, Japan
Acquired from the above by the present owner
Literature
Nathalie Bondil, ed., Benjamin-Constant, Marvels and Mirages of Orientalism, exh. cat., Musée des Augustins, Toulouse; The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, 2014, pp. 60, 372, no. 47, illustrated p. 57
Condition
Lined. The old varnish appears to have yellowed slightly, and isolated spots of old inpainting have discolored and are visible in the lower left quadrant. This inpainting addresses widely patterned craquelure and frame abrasion, which is faintly visible throughout. Three pinpoint losses are visible on the steps. Under UV: scattered dots and dashes of retouching are visible in the foreground and background frescoes, as well as to address aforementioned craquelure.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant is well known for paintings of powerful women of antiquity, biblical history, and the early Middle Ages. In the present work, imposingly enthroned is Eudoxia, considered the most influential and strong-willed woman of her time. In marrying Emperor Arcadius, she became the Empress of the Roman Empire at the end of the fourth century. The kneeling, pious figure is Saint John Chrysostom (the “golden-mouthed”), whom the Archbishop of Constantinople regarded as one of the most eloquent orators of his day. He openly criticized the morals and material excesses of the Empress and her imperial court, which would lead to his exile. The setting of the present work was inspired by the Basilica of San Clemente al Laterano in Rome, which serves as an opulent background but was in actuality built long after Eudoxia’s rule.