ANGELICA KAUFFMANN, RA (COIRE 1741-1807 ROME) - photo 1
ANGELICA KAUFFMANN, RA (COIRE 1741-1807 ROME) - photo 2
ANGELICA KAUFFMANN, RA (COIRE 1741-1807 ROME) - photo 3

ANGELICA KAUFFMANN, RA (COIRE 1741-1807 ROME)

Lot 51
15.06.2023 15:00UTC +01:00
Classic
Starting price
€ 25 000
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationFrance, Paris
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 974968
Lot 51 | ANGELICA KAUFFMANN, RA (COIRE 1741-1807 ROME)
Estimate value
€ 25 000 – 35 000
ANGELICA KAUFFMANN, RA (COIRE 1741-1807 ROME)

Allégorie de la Prudence

huile sur zinc

29,7 x 22 cm. (11 5/8 x 8 x 5/8 in.)





Provenance

Collection du Hon. Robert William Morgan-Grenville (1892-1988), Royaume-Uni ; puis par descendance à son fils Robert Plantagenet Morgan-Grenville (1916-1993), Kenya ; puis par descendance à l'actuel propriétaire, Kenya.



Special notice


These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime.
Import VAT is payable at 5,5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately
on our invoice.






Post lot text

ANGELICA KAUFFMANN, RA, ALLEGORY OF PRUDENCE, OIL ON ZINC

The inclusion of the snake in the Allegory of Prudence has its roots in antique art and became a frequent symbol in Western art throughout the centuries, from the painting by Piero del Pollaiolo (1443-1496) commissioned in 1469 for the courtroom of the Tribunale di Mercanzia in the Piazza della Signoria, Florence, to the engraving that appeared in 1603 in the famous Iconologia by Cesare Ripa (1555-1622), which remained one of the most important sources of inspiration for European artists until the end of the 18th century. However, in traditional representations of the subject, Prudence holds a mirror instead of the dove seen here. This change brings Kauffmann's work closer to the biblical verse: "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves" (Matthew 10:16). These words are paraphrased at the bottom of the engraving made in 1780 by Charles Taylor (1756-1823) after Kauffmann's painting, where it reads "Be prudent and benevolent". This engraving, together with that of the preceding lot, the Allegory of Mercy and Truth, is part of a series entitled The Moral Emblems consisting of six individual subjects, also including Wisdom, Hope, Instruction and Life. The painting representing Wisdom was sold at Sotheby's in New York in January 2012, lot 202 ($59,375).

For more information on this painting, see the note on Lot 48.

We would like to thank Dr. Bettina Baumgärtel for confirming the attribution to Angelica Kauffmann based on a first-hand inspection of the work, which she plans to include in her forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the artist.
Applied technique:Oil, Painted
Art style:Old Masters
Genre:Mythological painting
Place of origin:Western Europe, Europe, Switzerland
Auction house category:Paintings
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
9 Avenue Matignon
75008 Paris
France
Preview
15.06.2023
Phone +33 (0)1 40 76 85 85
Fax +33 (0)1 40 76 85 86
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@AGLSDAYQG1LYAK3YGRQ@
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase
Shipping Postal service
Courier service
pickup by yourself
Payment methods Wire Transfer
Business hoursBusiness hours
Mo 09:00 – 00:00    00:00 – 18:00
Tu 09:00 – 00:00    00:00 – 18:00
We 09:00 – 00:00    00:00 – 18:00
Th 09:00 – 00:00    00:00 – 18:00
Fr 09:00 – 00:00    00:00 – 18:00
Sa closed
Su closed

Related terms

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.
?>