Loading

God the Father

Pierre Mignardafter 1664

National Gallery of Art, Washington DC

National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
Washington, DC, United States

  • Title: God the Father
  • Creator: Circle of Pierre Mignard I
  • Date Created: after 1664
  • Physical Dimensions: overall (oval): 46.5 x 60.3 cm (18 5/16 x 23 3/4 in.) framed: 61.9 x 75.9 x 6.4 cm (24 3/8 x 29 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.)
  • Provenance: John Barnard [d. 1784], London;[1] by inheritance to his nephew, Thomas Hankey [d. 1799], Bedford Park, London; (his estate sale, Christie's, London, 7-8 June 1799, no. 36); James Akers, London; (his sale, Stanley, London, 28-29 April 1814 [originally scheduled for April 21-22], no. 127); George Spencer-Churchill, 5th duke of Marlborough [1766-1840], White Knights, near Reading, Berkshire; (his sale, Hawkes, at his residence, 26-28 October 1819, 3rd day, no. 13). (sale, Phillips, London, 12 October 1985, as Workshop of Albani). (Havari and Johns, London); sold 1986 to NGA. [1] The painting is inscribed on the reverse "J:B, N:66 / Albano." The initials probably refer to John Barnard. The painting was possibly lot 35 in the estate sale of Jean de Julienne (1686-1766) held in Paris on 30 March 1767, and the days following: "François Albani, ou L'Albane. 35 Le Pere Eternal & la Hiérarchie Céleste. Tableau, riche de composition & fort de coloris, peint sure une toile de forme ovale, qui porte 17 pouces de haut, sur 22 de large." The measurements translate to 45.93 x 59.44 cm, very close to those of the National Gallery's painting. The engraver Pierre François Basan (1723-1797) is recorded as the buyer; the painting does not appear in his estate sale that was held 1-19 December 1798 in Paris. It is not known when the painting entered Barnard's collection; it is not itemized in the description of Barnard's collection in Thomas Martyn, _The English Connoisseur: Containing an account of whatever is curious in painting, sculpture, &tc. in the palaces and seats of the nobility and principal gentry of England, both in town and country_, 2 vols., London, 1766: 1:10-11. See also the letter from Martha Hepworth of the Getty Provenance Index to Eric Garberson, 8 July 1991, in NGA curatorial files.
  • Rights: CC0
  • Medium: oil on canvas
National Gallery of Art, Washington DC

Get the app

Explore museums and play with Art Transfer, Pocket Galleries, Art Selfie, and more

Interested in Visual arts?

Get updates with your personalized Culture Weekly

You are all set!

Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.

Home
Discover
Play
Nearby
Favorites