The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist and Saint Elizabeth

Artists

Dimensions

99.9 x 132.4 cm (39 5/16 x 52 1/8 in.) frame: 129.5 x 162 cm (51 x 63 3/4 in.)

Provenance

Jean Froment de Veine (by 1678). Mme. D’ Hariague, Paris (?-1750), sold; [her sale, Mariette, Paris, April 14, 1750, lot 10]. M. Peilhon, Paris (?-1763), sold; [his sale, Remy, Paris, May 16, 1763, lot 56]. Duc des Deux Ponts (?-1778), sold; [his sale, Remy, Paris, April 6, 1778, lot 59]. M. Robit (?-1801), sold; [his sale, Paillet, Paris, May 11, 1801, lot 88]; [to Michael Bryan, London (1801-1809), sold, November 6, 1809, cat. 22]; to George Hibbert (1809-?). Lord Radstock, London (possibly by 1824-1826), sold; [his sale, Christie’s London, May 13, 1826, lot 33]. Sir Simon Clarke, Oakhill, Herts (?-1840), sold; [his sale, Christie’s London, May 8, 1840, lot 49]. Thomas Hope (by 1842-1917), sold; [through Christie’s London, July 20, 1917, lot 68]; [to Arthur Tooth & Sons, Ltd., London, (1917-?)]. [Trotti et Cie, Paris (by 1923)]. [Richard Owen, Paris, sold July 1923]; to Samuel Sachs (1923-1942), gift of Mrs. Samuel Sachs; to Fogg Art Museum, 1942. Notes: 1. According to Doris Wild’s 1980 publication “Nicolas Poussin,” this painting has been incorrectly identified as having belonged to and possibly been painted for the Duc de Créqui. The author notes that Jean Pesne’s 1678 engraving after the painting lists the work as being in the collection of Jean Froment de Veine. According to the Créqui collection inventory, however, the Créqui “Holy Family” was still in the Duc’s collection upon his death in 1687 (inventory no. 168). Hence the author concludes that the Fogg painting is not the one which was once in the Créqui collection. For further discussion about the painting and the Créqui and Veine collections, see Anthony Blunt’s 1966 “Paintings of Nicolas Poussin” and Pierre Rosenberg’s 1982 exhibition catalogue “France in the Golden Age.” 2. According to lot 10 of the Mariette, Paris, April 14, 1750 D’ Hariague sale, the work was painted by Poussin for Formont [sic] de Veine. 3. According to Pierre Rosenberg’s 1994 catalogue “Nicolas Poussin 1594-1665,” the painting was purchased by Michael Bryan at the May 11, 1801 Paillet sale in Paris and then sold to George Hibbert in London on November 6, 1809 (cat. 22). In volume 4 of the “Cleveland Studies in the History of Art” associated with the 1999 Poussin exhibition, Bryant is again listed as selling the work to Hibbert on November 6, 1809 (lot 22). Other sources, including Anthony Blunt’s 1966 “Paintings of Nicolas Poussin” and Pierre Rosenberg’s 1982 exhibition catalogue “France in the Golden Age,” only state that Bryan purchased the painting at the Paillet sale but do not mention the 1809 sale. Further information about the November 6, 1809 sale was not found, and thus while it is clear that Bryant sold the work to George Hibbert, the November 6, 1809 sale information remains unconfirmed. 4. Per Christie’s London the painting was bought at the July 20, 1917 sale by Arthur Tooth & Sons, Ltd., London.