Abraham and the Three Angels
- Artist
- Giovanni Andrea de' Ferrari, Italian, 1598–1669
- Date
- 1660–69
- Material
- Oil on canvas
- made in
- Genoa, Liguria region, Italy, Europe
- Classification
- Paintings
- Current Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 81 x 94 in. (205.7 x 238.8 cm)
- Credit Line
- Museum Purchase
- Rights
- Contact Us
- Object Number
- 45:1939
Provenance
by 1777 - 1938
Edward Howard (1686-1777), 9th Duke of Norfolk, Norfolk House, London, England; Charles Howard (1720-1786), 10th Duke of Norfolk; Charles Howard (1746-1815), 11th Duke of Norfolk; Bernard Edward Howard (1765-1842), 12th Duke of Norfolk; Henry Howard (1791-1856), 13th Duke of Norfolk; Henry Granville Fitzalan-Howard (1815-1860), 14th Duke of Norfolk; Henry Fitzalan-Howard (1847-1917), 15th Duke of Norfolk, Norfolk House, London, England; Bernard Marmaduke Fitzalan-Howard (1908-1975), 16th Duke of Norfolk, by inheritance [1]
1938/02/11
In auction, “Ancient and Modern Pictures and Drawings,” Christie’s, London, England, February 11, 1938, lot no. 120 [2]
- 1939
Arnold Seligmann, Rey & Co., Inc. (Paul M. Byk), New York, NY, USA
1939 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Arnold Seligmann, Rey & Co., Inc. [3]
Notes:
The painting was acquired by the Saint Louis Art Museum as a work by Spanish artist Bartolemé Estéban Murillo.
[1] According to an inventory of pictures in Norfolk House dated November 11, 1977, the painting hung in the green drawing room on the ground floor and was listed as “Abraham entertaining the Three Angels” by Murillo. This inventory was taken by James Bonus at the death of Edward, 9th Duke of Norfolk, and includes a plan of the walls of each room. It is not known when the 9th Duke of Norfolk acquired the painting. The painting remained with the Dukes of Norfolk until 1938 when Norfolk House was demolished with much of its contents sold at Christie’s London. The painting is documented in several inventories and valuations of Norfolk House from 1861, 1903, and 1917. By the 1861 inventory, the painting had been moved from the ground floor to the central drawing on the first floor of Norfolk House, where it remained until the 1938 sale [IN11, IN20, IN29, Acc/487/4, Arundel Castle Archives, Arundel, UK; copies, SLAM document files].
[2] According to an annotated copy of the auction catalog at the Arundel Castle archives, the painting sold for £10. See the auction catalog [“Catalogue of pictures by old masters, the property of His Grace the Duke of Norfolk ... removed from Norfolk House, St. James's Square, S.W.1,” Christies, London, February 11, 1938, lot no. 120]. Additionally a Witt Library card for the 1938 sale has the pencil notation, “bought by Nicholson” [Witt Library, The Courtauld Institute of Art, London, UK; copy, SLAM document files].
[3] Bill of sale from Arnold Seligmann, Rey & Co. dated April 10, 1939 [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control of the City Art Museum, April 6, 1939.
Edward Howard (1686-1777), 9th Duke of Norfolk, Norfolk House, London, England; Charles Howard (1720-1786), 10th Duke of Norfolk; Charles Howard (1746-1815), 11th Duke of Norfolk; Bernard Edward Howard (1765-1842), 12th Duke of Norfolk; Henry Howard (1791-1856), 13th Duke of Norfolk; Henry Granville Fitzalan-Howard (1815-1860), 14th Duke of Norfolk; Henry Fitzalan-Howard (1847-1917), 15th Duke of Norfolk, Norfolk House, London, England; Bernard Marmaduke Fitzalan-Howard (1908-1975), 16th Duke of Norfolk, by inheritance [1]
1938/02/11
In auction, “Ancient and Modern Pictures and Drawings,” Christie’s, London, England, February 11, 1938, lot no. 120 [2]
- 1939
Arnold Seligmann, Rey & Co., Inc. (Paul M. Byk), New York, NY, USA
1939 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Arnold Seligmann, Rey & Co., Inc. [3]
Notes:
The painting was acquired by the Saint Louis Art Museum as a work by Spanish artist Bartolemé Estéban Murillo.
[1] According to an inventory of pictures in Norfolk House dated November 11, 1977, the painting hung in the green drawing room on the ground floor and was listed as “Abraham entertaining the Three Angels” by Murillo. This inventory was taken by James Bonus at the death of Edward, 9th Duke of Norfolk, and includes a plan of the walls of each room. It is not known when the 9th Duke of Norfolk acquired the painting. The painting remained with the Dukes of Norfolk until 1938 when Norfolk House was demolished with much of its contents sold at Christie’s London. The painting is documented in several inventories and valuations of Norfolk House from 1861, 1903, and 1917. By the 1861 inventory, the painting had been moved from the ground floor to the central drawing on the first floor of Norfolk House, where it remained until the 1938 sale [IN11, IN20, IN29, Acc/487/4, Arundel Castle Archives, Arundel, UK; copies, SLAM document files].
[2] According to an annotated copy of the auction catalog at the Arundel Castle archives, the painting sold for £10. See the auction catalog [“Catalogue of pictures by old masters, the property of His Grace the Duke of Norfolk ... removed from Norfolk House, St. James's Square, S.W.1,” Christies, London, February 11, 1938, lot no. 120]. Additionally a Witt Library card for the 1938 sale has the pencil notation, “bought by Nicholson” [Witt Library, The Courtauld Institute of Art, London, UK; copy, SLAM document files].
[3] Bill of sale from Arnold Seligmann, Rey & Co. dated April 10, 1939 [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control of the City Art Museum, April 6, 1939.