Attributed to Filippo Cocchi Vatican Mosaic Studio, Rome, circa 1735-1750 After Guido Reni (1575-1642)

by repute, Joannes Baptista and Paul Jacob Cloots, circa 1718-1725;
and thence by family descent to the present owner

Overall the condition of the mosaic is very good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. A few of the tesserae may be lost or replaced. The lacunae between tesserae are filled with resin or wax - some of these, though, may be restorations intended to disguise lost tesserae. One such example is to the left of the proper left projecting thumb. The grey mosaic ground is graded from light to dark (lighter around the Saint's head). There could possibly be restorations at the points of grading, though differences are probably just due to the attempt of the artist to grade the colour. The frame is in good condition with minor wear to the gilding and a few small chips and losses. The frame is composed in sections, there are slightly open joints visible, including at the corners.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

In the 18th century the Vatican Workshops produced magisterial mosaics after well-known Baroque paintings by the likes of Guido Reni, Domenichino, Carracci and Poussin. Hardstone tesserae carefully selected for their gradation in colour were cut and arranged in such a way that the chiaroscuro effects of the original paintings was reproduced faithfully. Thusly a durable surface was created that is barely distinguishable from the painting at a distance and that only reveals it is made of the finest available stones upon closer inspection.

The present mosaic is based on a painting of Saint Peter in Prayer by Guido Reni which is currently kept in the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. Another rendering of this picture in mosaic was recently presented in Maastricht by Di Castro Antichita from Rome and was accompanied by a note by Alvar Gonzalez-Palacios that convincingly attributes that mosaic to the Vatican Workshops and dates it to the second quarter of the 18th century. Most notable are the comparisons with a mosaic representing Czarina Elizabeth II signed by Alessandro Cocchi in the Hermitage. The finesse with which the tesserae of the present mosaic were cut and placed equally suggests that our mosaic was produced by one of the Vatican's foremost artists.

Due to their high intrinsic value and powerful religious imagery, the mosaics of the Vatican Workshops became the diplomatic gifts of choice of a series of 18th century Popes. Pope Clement XII, for example, presented an Ecce Homo and a Praying Virgin to Maria Amalia of Saxony as she travelled through Rome on her way to her wedding to the King of Naples in 1738, and Pius VI ordered an Allegory of Poetry for Princess Sophia Albertina of Sweden in 1793. This practice gives credence to the story that the present mosaic was given to the ancestors of the present owners, Joannes Baptista and Paul Jacob Cloots, powerful merchants active in Amsterdam, Antwerp and Lisbon, who were ennobled by King Philip V of Spain in 1718 and made Barons by Emperor Charles VI in 1725.     

RELATED LITERATURE

E. Baccheschi, L'Opera completa di Guido Reni, Milan, 1971, p. 111, no. 187; A. Gonzales-Palacios, The art of mosaics. A selection from the Gilbert collection, exhib. Cat. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1977, p. 40, no. 11; A. Gonzales-Palacios, Arredi e ornamenti alla corte di Roma, Milan, 2004, p. 318