Old Master Day Sale including Old Master Paintings, Drawings and British Works on Paper

CATHARINA DA COSTA | THE PENITENT MAGDALENE

Restricted Species

Lot Closed

July 29, 02:11 PM GMT

Estimate

4,000 - 6,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

CATHARINA DA COSTA

London 1679 - 1756

THE PENITENT MAGDALENE

Gouache, heightened with gold;

signed and dated in gold, lower left: Cathri^e. Da. Costa. / Fecit. 1714 / Oct^r- y^e: 11

Circular. Diameter circa 110 mm

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This lot contains ivory. Due to recent changes in the laws of many countries (e.g. US, France) Sotheby's recommends that buyers check with their own government regarding any importation requirements prior to placing a bid. For example, US regulations restrict the import of elephant ivory and prohibit the import of African elephant ivory. Please note that Sotheby's will not assist buyers with CITES licence applications where a buyer elects to either collect or arrange their own shipping, nor will Sotheby's assist with the international movement of ivory by air, either as freight or through hand carry. Sotheby's shipping will only assist in shipping the lot to either domestic UK or EU destinations, where delivery is made by road transport. A buyer's inability to export or import these lots cannot justify a delay in payment or sale cancellation.

Catharina da Costa was the earliest known English Jewish artist and the first Jewish woman artist whose work has survived. She was the daughter of Dr. Fernando Mendez, physician to King Charles II. Da Costa studied with the famous drawing-master and mezzotint engraver Bernard Lens, and painted portrait miniatures of her family and of other members of the Jewish community. Among her works are portraits of her father in full 18^th-century dress (1721) and of her ten-year-old son, Abraham da Costa (1714). She was married to Anthony Moses da Costa (1667/9–1747), a prosperous Sephardi merchant.