Old Master Paintings and Portrait Miniatures

Old Master Paintings and Portrait Miniatures

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 399. Saint Didacus of Alcalá, holding rose buds.

The Property of a European Private Collector

Follower of Guido Reni

Saint Didacus of Alcalá, holding rose buds

Lot Closed

April 28, 02:42 PM GMT

Estimate

6,000 - 8,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

The Property of a European Private Collector

Follower of Guido Reni

Saint Didacus of Alcalá, holding rose buds


oil on canvas

unframed: 66.4 x 49.3 cm.; 26⅛ x 19⅜ in.

framed: 90.6 x 73.6 cm.; 35⅝ x 29 in.

Didacus of Alcalá, or Diego de San Nicolás, was a Franciscan lay brother in Spain in the 15th century, who was among the first group of missionaries to the newly-conquered Canary Islands. He frequently took bread from the monastery's refectory to give to the poor. On one occasion when he was carrying a cloak full of food, he was accused of stealing and challenged to reveal what he was holding. Miraculously, when he opened his habit, the loaves of bread had transformed into roses.


This design is known in another version,1 and both works most probably follow a lost prototype by Guido Reni.


1 Sold at Christie's, London, 4 July 2012, lot 208 (as Bolognese School, 17th century); https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5586371