* Ciro Ferri Rome 1633 - 1689

The present work is a repetition by Ciro Ferri of a composition by his master Pietro da Cortona, the prime version of which is in the Musée du Louvre, Paris (see G. Briganti, Pietro da Cortona, Florence 1982, p. 209, cat. no. 58, reproduced figure 158). The Paris picture was almost certainly painted, along with a pendant of Laban searching for his idols (Bristol City Art Gallery; Briganti, op. cit., pp. 210-11, cat. no. 61, reproduced fig. 157), for the Barberini in circa 1630-35. 

The composition apparently enjoyed some success (no doubt fueled by the cachet of the Barberini patronage) and was repeated both by Cortona and by Ciro Ferri a number of times.  One version by Ferri is in the Corsini collection in Rome, and was there from an early date, erroneously described as a “Scena di Sacrificio” (inventory of 1784 “Prima anticamera. Quadro grande, rappresentante un sacrificio , originale di Ciro Ferro).”  Other versions of the The Meeting of Jacob and Esau by Ferri are mentioned in sales in the early 19^th Century (John Woodburn collection, Christie’s, London May 12, 1821, lot 35; Harrison collection, Sale Foster’s, October 13, 1830, as by “C. Terri”).

We are grateful to Maria Cristina Paoluzzi for confirming the attribution to Ferri based on first hand inspection and supplying additional information.  She will be publishing the present work in a paper Ciro Ferri and the Barberini, as well as her catalogue raisonne of the works of Ciro Ferri, in preparation.