March 28, 2006
SEARCH IN RINCONETE
ARTE / Claroscuro
From Mantua to Madrid passing through London
By Susana Calvo Capilla
If there is something more exciting than the process of
creating a painting is undoubtedly the story of this once you leave the
artist's workshop. A paradigmatic case is this work that today exposes the
Museum of the Prado.Since Raphael painted it in 1518, regardless of whether he
finished it or his pupil Giulio Romano, before the eyes of this Holy Family
have passed part of the history of Europe and many of its protagonists.
Rafael Sanzio de Urbino (1483-1520): The Holy Family with
St. John , called The Pearl (detail)
Table, 144 x 115 cm
Number of items: 301
It was apparently a commission by Ludovico Canossa, bishop
of Bayeux, to Rafael shortly before his death in 1520, which explains the
Leonardesque tone of his style (pyramidal composition and strong light
contrasts). In 1604, a descendant of Canossa ceded the painting to Vicenzo
Gonzaga, the powerful Duke of Mantua, in exchange for a marquesado. But the fortune
of the Gonzaga became in crisis shortly and by 1923 word spread that Duke
Ferdinand, forced by the debts, had to sell part of his collection. Through the
nearby Venice there were swarming marchers who warned European collectors of
this, among whom were two of the greatest ever known, Philip IV, king of Spain,
and Charles I, king of England. The latter, obsessed with matching the Spanish
monarch's painting collection, did not want to miss the opportunity and in 1625
sent Mantua to Nicholas Lanier, an amateur painter who was to examine the
pictures. To negotiate, a cunning and experienced trader of arms, antiques and
art was employed, named Daniel Nys, based in Venice, who had already worked for
the English ambassador. In the meantime, Duke Ferdinand died, and his
successor, a little art lover, closed the deal with Nys; Was a round business:
£ 16,000 for a batch of paintings which included nothing less than this Holy
Family , by Raphael; The Death of the Virgin , Keep; The Mystic Affair , by
Andrea del Sarto (Museo del Prado); The Education of Cupid , of Correggio
(National Gallery of London) or the Death of the Virgin , of Caravaggio (Museum
of the Louvre, Paris), among others.
Carlos I was executed in 1649, too soon to be able to
achieve his goal. Not only that, then, by ironies of fate, after his death part
of his collection ended up in the hands of Philip IV, his artistic rival. Thus
returned to Madrid the Tizians that he received in his visit to the Spanish
court in 1623 (one was Charles V with a dog ). As for the works coming from
Mantua, the Spanish ambassador in London, D. Alonso de Cárdenas, bought some
for Don Luis de Haro, validated by Philip IV. Among them was the Holy Family of
Raphael, for which he paid 1000 pounds, half the price charged, overtaking the
agent of Mazarin, who was after her and offered to give him more money to
give.In Madrid, Don Luis gave the canvas to the king and Velázquez, the
"curator" of the royal collection, said in examining it: "It is
a very great thing." Proud of his purchase, which in future was considered
"the Pearl" of the royal collection, the valid placed it in the room
of Felipe IV to give a surprise to his return from El Escorial.
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