Belisario Corenzio

Don Gaspar Méndez de Haro y Guzman, Marchese del Carpio e Helice;
sale, London, Christie's, 20 March 1973, lot 12;
with Lorna Lowe, London, from whom purchased, November 1973

Newcastle, 1974, no. 44, reproduced pl. XVI;
London, 1975, no. 31;
Newcastle, 1982, no. 36

V. Farina, 'La collezione del Viceré: il marchese del Carpio, padre Sebastiano Resta e la prima raccolta ragionata di disegni napoletani', Le Dessin Napolitain, Actes du colloque international (6-8 March 2008), Rome 2010, pp. 190-192, reproduced fig. 8

Cut out and attached at the edges to the mount, but verso visible. Some wear to the paper and a trace of a small water stain bottom center. Overall good condition, ink strong.
"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."

These are preliminary studies, as the old inscription indicates, for Corenzio's frescoes in the church of the great Benedictine abbey at Monte Cassino.  The 18th century writer De Dominici records that Corenzio was responsible for this project, executed between 1605-09, but sadly destroyed in 1944.  The dome was dedicated to the Glory of St. Benedict and the pendentives to the virtues required of monastic life: Poverty, Chastity, Contemplation and Obedience.

The use of blue wash is characteristic of Corenzio, often also heightened with white for dramatic effect.  Ralph Holland notes that in the present studies Corenzio shows a greater naturalism, moving away from his earlier Mannerist tendencies which were the product of the strong influence of Cavaliere d'Arpino.

The Marchese del Carpio, Don Gaspar Méndez de Haro y Guzman (1629-1687) was Viceroy of Naples from 1683 until his death.  Before that he had served as Spanish Ambassador in Rome (1677-1683) and he seems to have begun collecting there, as Bellori records that he had assembled 30 volumes of drawings.  His collection of drawings expanded even further when he got to Naples, where his library and drawings were organized by Padre Resta.  A 1687 inventory records a total of forty-three volumes.¹  The present drawing came from one of these albums, which at the time of the Christie's sale had already been dismembered, leaving about 38 drawings, mostly by Neapolitan artists and acquired by del Carpio in Naples.  There were several other drawings by Corenzio in the Carpio album, most of them bearing the same inscription: Bilisario in a hand which predates Carpio and seems to be reliable.  For a full discussion of the album, and the several other surviving albums in various public collections, see the introductory note in the 1973 sale catalogue, as well as the articles by S. Prosperi Valenti Rodinò and V. Farina (loci. cit.)  

1. See S. Prosperi Valenti Rodinò, 'Additions to the Drawings Collection of the Marqués del Carpio,' Master Drawings, XLVI, no. 1, 2008, pp. 3-35