Sold Without Reserve | STUDIO OF GUIDO RENI | SAINT CECILIA, THREE-QUARTER LENGTH, BEFORE A PURPLE CURTAIN, AN ORGAN IN THE BACKGROUND

Possibly Roman private collection, early 18^th century (according to M. Oretti, see Literature);

Windham Carmichael Anstruther (1793-1869), 7^th bt of Nova Scotia, and 4^th bt of Great Britain, Elie House, co. Fife, Scotland;

Alexander Dennistoun (1790-1874), Golfhill, Glasgow, Scotland;

His sale, London, Christie's, 9 June 1894, lot 71 (as Guido Reni);

There acquired by Thomas James Gribble (1851-1905);

Private collection, United Kingdom;

Thence by descent, until acquired by the present owner.

Possibly M. Oretti, Notizie de Professori del Disegno, cioè Pittori, Scultori ed Architetti bolognesi e de forestieri di sue Scuole raccolte da Marcello Oretti, M.S. 126, Comune di Bologna, vol. IV, p. 256.

This composition matches Marcello Oretti's description of a Saint Cecilia in a private collection in Rome in the 18th century: “Sta. Cecilia che mira in alto e l'organetto, in un altro luogo,” [Saint Cecilia looking upward and an organ, in another place; see Literature]. 

Another version of this design, attributed to Giovanni Andrea Sirani and oval in format, can be found in the Musée du Louvre, Paris (inv. no. RF 3828); and an octagonal copy, given to an anonymous follower of Guido Reni was offered at Sotheby's London in 2000.¹

An attribution to Giovan Giacomo Sementi, a pupil of Guido Reni, has been proposed.

1. Anonymous sale, London, Sotheby's, 2 November 2000, lot 359.