Luca Giordano

Exhibited by Caylus

Material Oil on canvas

Dimensions 93 x 93 cm

Place of Creation Florence, Italy

Status Vetted

About the Work

This is one of the best quality modelli by Giordano available at the moment. It represents the Allegory of Fortitude from the famous frecoe ceiling of the Hall of Mirrors of the Pallazo Medici Riccardi in Florence. The composition, the coloring and the handling of the figures shows the art of Giordano at its best.

Provenance

Francisco de Benavides Dávila y Corella (1640-1716), IXth Count of Santisteban del Puerto, Virrey de Nápoles;
His son, Manuel Benavides Aragón (1683- 1748), Xth Count of Santisteban, Ist Duke of Santisteban del Puerto,
His son, Antonio Benavides y de la Cueva (1714- 1782), II Duke of Santisteban del Puerto,
His daughter, Joaquina María Benavides y Pacheco (1746-1805), III Duchess of Santisteban del Puerto,
Her son, Luis Joaquín Fernández de Córdoba y Benavides (1780-1840), XIV Duke of Medinaceli, XIV Duke of Segorbe, IV Duke of Santisteban del Puerto, XVI Duke of Cardona, XIII Duque de Feria,
His son, Luis Tomas Fernández de Córdoba Ponce de León (1813-1873), XV Duke of Medinaceli, , XV Duke of Segorbe, V Duke of Santisteban del Puerto, XVII Duke of Cardona, XIV Duque de Feria,
His son, Carlos Fernández de Córdoba y Pérez de Barradas, II Duke of Denia and Tarifa (1864- 1931);
His wife, María de los Ángeles Medina Garvey (1864- 1933)
Her brother, Manuel Medina Garvey, IV Marques de Esquivel (1861- 1915)
His daughter, María de los Dolores Medina Carvajal (1896- 1979)
Her daughter, Caridad Sangran Medina (1929-2018)
Inherited by her niece, the current owner.

Literature

In the inventory of the IX Count of Santisteban del Puerto’s collection, executed by Isidore de Arredondo and dated on the 5th of October 1697. Seat 6 of the appraisal: “Quattro pinturas iguales con marcos que representan las Quattro Virtudes: La Prudencia sobre un cierbo; La Justicia sobre un avestruz; La Fortaleza sobre un león; La Templanza sobre un elefante. Cada una con otras figuras y adornos de mano de Lucas Jordán (de quattro pies y medio).Tasadas en 6.000 reales de vellon”. As translated from Spanish: ‘Four identical paintings with frames that represent the Four Virtues: Prudence atop a deer; Justice atop an ostrich; Fortitude atop a lion; Temperance atop an elephant. Each one is accompanied by other figures and decorations by the hand of Luca Giordano (of four and a half feet). Valued in 6.000 reales de vellon’.

FERRARI, O. and SCAVIZZI, G. Luca Giordano. Naples: Electa, 1992, Page 394.