18th C. Spanish Colonial Painting San Martin de Tours

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Ethnographic | Tribal | American Frontier

By Artemis Gallery

Nov 14, 2019

Set Reminder 2019-11-14 10:00:00 2019-11-14 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Ethnographic | Tribal | American Frontier https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/ethnographic-tribal-american-frontier-4634
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• Lot Description
  Spanish Colonial, possibly Peruvian, ca. 18th century CE. A finely painted oil on canvas depicting the theme of San Martin de Tours (Saint Martin and the Beggar), presenting the Christian Saint Martin of Tours as a young caballero on his white horse, cutting off half of his cloak with a sword to give to the beggar below. The saint wears luxurious red, white, and blue vestments with gold embroidered and white lace trims, along with red, white, and blue feathers in his wide-brimmed hat. In contrast, the beggar is scantily clad and has a hole in his shoe. The hallowed event is taking place in a verdant setting with colorful birds perched in the leafy boughs of trees to either side of the pair, flowers growing amidst the grasses below, and holy light streaming down upon Saint Martin's fair-skinned, bearded face with heavenly blue skies beyond. Size: 21" L x 15.75" W (53.3 cm x 40 cm); 26.25" L x 21.25" W (66.7 cm x 54 cm) framed
  
  An old label on the verso has a handwritten inscription that states in Spanish: "San Martin - Colecion Privata - Lima - de pintor anonimo. Siglo XVII-XVIII mas o menos. El paisaje no tipico del Peru, pese a la adiao (?) de aves y flores locales de no la de parte del artista, sentido de adaptacion." This generally translates, "Saint Martin - Private Collection - Lima - by anonymous painter. Ca. 17th to 18th century. The landscape not typical of Peru … not usual local birds and flowers - as the artist took artistic license with this adaptation."
  
  The story of Saint Martin of Tours: When stationed in Amiens one harsh winter day, a poor man, trembling from the cold, was begging at the gates to the city. Martin took notice, and recognized that nobody was paying attention to him. So, he cut his cloak in two and covered the beggar with half of it. That night when Martin was asleep he had a vision of Jesus wearing the half-cloak saying, "Martin yet a catechumen has covered me with the garment," and Martin was baptized. Today, Saint Martin of Tours is invoked when someone is cold or lacking in clothing. He also the patron saint of beggars, tailors, shirt-makers, and soldiers.
  
  Provenance: private San Francisco, California, USA collection
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
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  #150658

  Condition

  Old label on the verso identifying it as from a Peruvian collection and dating to 17th to 18th century. (See extended description for this inscription and a translation.) Below this is a white rectangle (perhaps where another label was once affixed) with "16" (perhaps a collection or exhibition number) handwritten at the upper and lower right corners. Verso of canvas has darkened with age. No visible repairs to the canvas. Painting shows slight impressions from the stretcher bars on the verso, expected scuffs here and there, some darkening and expected stains. But overall it is in very good condition and shows nice areas of craquelure. Frame is old but dates later than the painting. It is in very good condition save a few minor nicks and scuffs.
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