The Madonna, Saint Joseph, the infant Saint John the Baptist and two angels adoring the Christ Child, Oil on panel, 97,5 x 73,7 cm, framed

Provenance: Patriarch Colonna, Roma; Don Gaspar Méndez de Haro y Guzmán, 7th Marchese del Carpio and 5th Conde Duque de Olivares until 1687; with Ehrich Galleries, New York 1928; Anonymous sale, Christie‘s London, 8. December 1989, lot 100 (as Associate of Pietro di Cristoforo Vannucci, called Perugino, circa 1450-1523); European private collection;

Literature: G. A. Redoutey, “Inventario e descrittione delli mobili, suppellitili, massaritie, brozi, e robba, e dell’Antica e moderna Pittura e scultura dell’eccmo: Sigre: Don Gasparo de Haro et Guzman Ambasciatore Ordinario e Straordinario in Roma per Sua Mta. Cattca: e su Vicerè nominato al Regno de Napoli“, documented in Rome, 1628, p. 129, Nella seconda stanza seguente a mano manca scendendo per le scale di detto ‘Palazzetto della Vigna’, no. 899 ‘un auadro che rappresenta La Natività di nostro Signore con l’Adorazione degli Angioli, di mano di Pietro Perugino, di palmi 4 e 3 in circa con sua cornicia intagliata sopra gesso, e tutta indorata, stimato in...100’ and p. 159, ‘Le Patriarca Colona presento el quadro del Numa...899’; F. Todini, La pittura Umbra. Dal Duecento al Primo Cinquecento, Milano 1989, Vol. I, S. 153.

The present painting was given by Egidio Colonna, Archbishop of Amaziah and Patriarch of Jerusalem, to Don Gaspar Mendez de Haro y Guzmán, 7th Marques del Carpio and 5th Conde Duque de Olivares, Spanish Ambassador to Rome from 1677 - 1682 and Viceroy of Naples from 1682 until his death in 1687.
The work is cited in the inventory of the Marquis, (as Pietro Perugino) in 1682, at the time of his departure for Naples, in the ‘Palazzetto della Vigna presso Porta San Pancrazio’: ‘un quadro che rappresenta la Natività di Nostro Signore con l’Adoratione degli Angioli, di mano di Pietro Perugino, di palmi 4 e 3 in circa con sua cornicia intagliata sopra gesso, e tinta indorata, stimato in 100 (f.128v No. 899), with the annotation. ‘El Patriarca Colonna presentò el quadro’. The Marquis´ passion for collecting works of art was well known in Rome, as evidenced by the numerous paintings in the inventory received as gifts by from members of the nobility and cardinals. At the time of his death in 1687, the collection included some 3,000 paintings, including celebrated works such as the Raphael´s Alba Madonna (Washington, National Gallery) and Velazquez‘s Rokeby Venus (London, National Gallery). The present painting was sold in Naples in 1687 with other paintings and objects on the death of the Marquis to pay his debts. The panel reappears in 1928 in New York with the Ehrich Galleries.
The painting, as well as previously being attributed to Perugino, was also given subsequently to the Florentine Francesco Ubertini, il Bachiacca. Professor Filippo Todini has given the work to the Master of the Madonna Schleissheim in whose catalogue of works it is inserted under ‚New York already Ehrich Galleries - 1928. Holy Family with St. John and two angels in adoration of the Child´ (F. Todini, La pittura Umbra. Dal Duecento al Primo Cinquecento. Milano 1989, Vol. I p. 153). The ‚Master of the Madonna Schleissheim‘ is at present an anonymous Florentine follower of Perugino, active between the 15th and 16th Centuries, Professor Todini has assembled a group of works characterized by a combination of elements that are stylistically similar to Piero di Cosimo and the young Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio. We are grateful to Professor Filippo Todini for his help in the cataloguing of this painting.