|
Other titles
Muscius Scaevola in the Presence of Lars Porsena
early 1640s
Painting
oil on canvas
152.6 x 205.7cm stretcher; 167.5 x 220.0 x 7.0cm frame
Purchased 1970
OO4.1970
Art Gallery of NSW, Ground Level, European Art 15th-18th Century Galleries, Fairfax Galleries/Room 2
Further information
In the dazzling comet's tail of painters called the Caravaggisti - the admirers of Caravaggio who kept alive his flame for more than a century - Matthias Stomer stands out for his considered temperament and cool execution. Almost an academic of the movement, though never an imitative hack, Stomer built a body of work on the basis of subjects like this. Antiquity in general and Roman history in particular were his primary source material, reflecting a classicism which had little to do with Caravaggio's own almost exclusively biblical interests. Stomer's 'Mucius Scaevola in the presence of Lars Porsenna' could be seen to anticipate the high moral tone, and consequent sober rendition, found in the works of later neoclassical figures such as David. This painting, after all, posits a test of faith by fire within a resolutely imperial context - precisely David's territory. There is a poorly preserved variant in Messina, datable to this Dutch-born painter's Sicilian period.
AGNSW Handbook, 1999.
Provenance
Agnew's, London (England, estab. 1817), 24 Apr 1968-24 Apr 1970, London/England, Purchased by the AGNSW from Agnew's 1970
Ettore Viancini (Italy), pre 24 Apr 1968, Venice/Italy, Purchased by Agnew's from Ettore Viancini, 24 April 1968. This was possibly a joint holding, Viancini may also have been a dealer. Agnew's stock number J. 6067
Prince Branciforte di Mazzarino (Italy), 17th century, Caltanissetta/Sicily/Italy
Bibliography
Exhibition catalogue; La pittura nel nisseno, dal XVI al XVIII secolo; Elvira D'Amico (Italy); 2001, 158 (colour illus.), 159 (colour illus.), cat.no. 22, illustration on page 158 is a detail
Book; Masterworks of European Painting in the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Edgar Peters Bowron (United States of America), Mary G. Morton (United States of America); 2000, 68 (illus.), 'Matthias Stomer: The Judgement of Solomon' pg.66-69, AGNSW work illustrated in reference to 'The Judgement of Solomon' in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
General/Book; Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook; Bruce James (Australia), Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940); 1999, 28 (colour illus.), 'Western Collection: Paintings and Sculpture' by Bruce James, pg. 17-77.
Exhibition catalogue; The golden age of Dutch art: seventeenth century paintings from the Rijksmuseum and Australian collections; Norbert Middlekoop; 1997, 12 (illus.), 'Art and Reality' pg.9-25, fig.8
Exhibition catalogue; Pittori del Seicento a Palazzo Abatellis; Palermo Galleria Regionale della Sicilia (Italy); 1990, 31, 33 (illus.), 'Quadrerie e collezionisti palermitani del Seicento' by Vincenzo Abbate, pg.13-57, fig.15
Scholarly/Book; European Paintings before 1800 in Australian and New Zealand public collections; Peter Tomory (United Kingdom), Robert Gaston; 1989, 132 (illus.), cat.no. 405
Scholarly/Book; Australia's national collections; Clem Lloyd, Peter Sekuless; 1980, 253 (illus.)
Brochure; History and Legend in some selected paintings at the Art Gallery of New South Wales; Patricia Crawford (Australia); 1980, 9 (illus.)
Periodical; The Burlington Magazine; Editor Unknown; Apr 1977, 'Stomer brought up-to-date' by Benedict Nicolson
Book; Art Gallery of New South Wales picturebook; Editor Unknown; 1972, 8 (colour illus.)
Periodical; Museum of Fine Arts Houston Bulletin; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas (United States of America); Sep 1970, 55, 'New acquisitions, a Caravaggesque judgement of Solomon' by J.L. Schrader, pg.54-55, AGNSW work mentioned in reference to 'The Judgement of Solomon' in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Exhibition venue
Title: Darkness and Light: Caravaggio & his world
Venue: NGV: International
Opening: 11 Mar 2004
Closing: 30 May 2004
Venue: Art Gallery of New South Wales
Opening: 29 Nov 2003
Closing: 22 Feb 2004
|
