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1715 | height: 21 cm | region: Liguria | country: Italy | provenance: private pharmacy museum | Albarello faience potteryLot descriptionKnown as "Versatoio", this unique apothecary syrup jar comes from Liguria, Italy and dates back to 1715. It is made of earthenware, a traditional type of ceramic material characterized by its fineness and light glaze. The surface of the vessel is decorated with typical blue floral motifs and geometric ornaments that refer to the Baroque decorative style popular in northern Italy in the 18th century. Fine drawing and markings on the surface show the high level of craftsmanship of the regional workshops. A striking detail is the initials "TF" which probably indicate the manufacturer or owner of the container. The container was not only used to store medicinal syrups, but was also a representative element of pharmacy decoration. This artefact is proof of the then emphasis on aesthetics even in objects of daily consumption, and at the same time a reference to the rich ceramic tradition of Liguria.condition report:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1KZeP-PvtoHZpxoIb49wlm8n0wl4CGUsl?usp=sharing

Viceregal school. Perú. Central decades of the 18th century (reign of King Ferdinand VI, 1746-1749)“Inauguration of the office of alderman of Lima, of the viceroyalty of Peru, Don Fernando de Rojas Marres” and ”The Exaltation of the House of Nobility of the alderman of Lima, Don Fernando de Rojas Marres”Pair of oil paintings on canvas. 100 x 73 cm. each.The first painting is divided into two parts, the upper part possibly showing the swearing-in or oath of office of the new alderman of Lima, Don Fernando de Rojas Marres of the viceroyalty of Peru, as he climbs the semicircular stairs to the throne from which he will make government decisions. The golden throne is topped by a red curtain and an open crown, clear symbols of power. Behind it, the two Tuscan columns symbolise the strength and fortitude that every ruler must have in order to lead their people. Above the crown, apart from the word ‘fortune’, an allusion to this virtue, the scene is accompanied by two other virtues linked to power and dignitaries, science on the left and fame on the right. The two female figures who bestow symbols of power, the ruler's sceptre and the crown are the ruler's acolytes and witnesses to the scene.The central figure is dressed in the fashion of Ferdinand VI's reign, which dates the painting and its companion piece to the middle decades of the 18th century. To complete the parallelism of the central scene at the top, two noble coats of arms are placed at either end. The one on the right, topped by the helmet of a warrior, indicates the rank of knight or order of nobility of the person, who would in turn belonged to the order of knighthood of Santiago, one of the four most important orders of knighthood in Spain along with those of Calatrava, Montesa and Alcántara. During the restoration of the painting, the change in the iconography of the area of the coat of arms where the eagle is located came to light. Initially there were three vertical golden bands which were covered by the bird, although it is not clear whether this change was made while the painting was being executed or after the work was completed. The other coat of arms, this time with the crown of government, shows very different heraldry with no distinction of knighthood.The change the coat of arms underwent in this painting also affected its counterpart in the other painting.The noble coats of arms could have belonged to Rojas Marres' paternal branch, that of Don Feliciano de Rojas Ponce de León, and to his maternal branch, that of Doña Juana de Marres, or it is also possible that the one on the left could have been his own, that of the alderman, and the one on the right that of his wife, Doña María María Ana Concepción del Castillo Castañeda.Whilst the upper part of the painting represents political power and command over the people and the virtues that accompany the governor in order to govern well, the lower part, the most didactic part of the canvas, shows the values and qualities of the new government through the representation of 32 squares with elements divided into two panels of 16 squares each.The panel on the left represents objects that have explanatory symbolism linked to elements of power, while the panel on the right shows scenes with a written phylactery above them. These panels would have helped to explain the iconological programme, which symbolised the political programme of the new ruler, to the illiterate population, who made up the majority of the indigenous or native peoples at the time.The second painting shows that the importance of the family and its service to the empire rests on the Spanish monarchy and the Catholic faith.As if it were a ‘Tree of Jesse’, the distribution of the different elements that make up the rich and varied composition of the painting are arranged in a highly symmetrical and rational order.The base of the tree rises above the strong figure of the Child Virgin Mary on her throne, iconography that was very popular during the 17th and 18th centuries throughout Latin America, partly due to Zurbarán's paintings that came from the old continent to the ‘New World’. The feather below could refer to the feather of the archangel Saint Gabriel in the Annunciation. Given that the dogma of the Immaculate Conception was a matter of State and of protection by the Hispanic monarchy, the weight of the Crown rests on it and rests on the figure of the Virgin Mary; as one of the columns of Hercules in the coat of arms of Spain, legendary founder of the Hapsburg dynasty, acts as the trunk of the tree with the phylactery bearing the motto ‘NON PLUS ULTRA’, before Charles V and the anagram ‘Victor’ in golden letters.This anagram is flanked by the lion of Spain and the eagle of Saint John, protector of the Spanish monarchy, both also with golden crowns. On this rests the royal crown of the Bourbons, thus constructing the trunk of the compositional tree, where monarchy and religion are the pillars on which the family's noble coat of arms rests, which in turn is crowned by a laurel wreath bearing an angel and a scroll with golden symbols.The different branches of the ‘tree’ are divided according to the symbols and their distribution.In the upper part, the elements depicted are linked to the litanies of the Immaculate Conception, symbols related to the Virgin Mary. At the top is the sun, the eight-pointed star which has been linked to the Virgin Mary since antiquity, and the moon. The king of the day and the queen of the night contemplate the scene. Between there and the middle of the painting are a rose bush and an olive tree on the left, and a bunch of lilies and a cypress on the right, flowers and plants associated with Mary. All the iconographic repertoire, together with the symbols of the Marian litanies in the upper part of the painting, the elements of science (the book, the compass, the globe and the candle that is not extinguished by the four winds, also depicted) and the six virtues in the lower part, justify the service and work of this noble house to the royal house and the Catholic religion, the foundations of the Spanish empire in the Latin American colonies.In conclusion, these two paintings present a political programme for the government of the new ruler of Lima in the 18th century. The importance of this pair of canvases lies precisely in the way they represent this political programme by justifying the noble house as being in the service of the King of Spain and the Catholic faith. To this end, it also makes use of a graceful play of symbols, something rare to see in paintings from Spain itself, but common in the Americas, to educate and explain to the people how their new rulers will exercise their power.We are grateful to the art historian and restorer Ignacio Panicello for cataloguing and identifying these paintings.Provenance: Former collection belonging to Adrián de Rojas Maestre (descendant of the regent of Lima, Don Fernando de Rojas Marres).This family, or part of it, with important historical links, settled in Spain before 1950 at the Finca El Maestre in Seville. The paintings have always belonged to the family.The subject of our paintings, Fernando de Rojas Marrés, was born in Ceuta and died circa 1800 in Madrid.There is a record in the Spanish Historical Archive of his transfer to the Americas as a ‘Merchant of textiles, he went to South America on the ship Aquiles under the charge of Captain Martin Joseph de Echenique, bringing cargo directly to the port of Callao Lima. Record of information and passenger licence to the Indies of Fernando de Rojas y Marres’.

Juan Correa (Mexico City, 1646 - 1716).‘The Indian Juan Diego presenting the Virgin of Guadalupe to the bishop of Mexico Juan de Zumárraga’.Oil on canvas. Signed and located in Mexico.28 x 64 cm. Juan Correa is considered the principal painter of late 17th-century Mexico. Son of a famous Spanish surgeon and a freed black woman, Correa was one of the few mestizo painters who achieved fame in his time (the art of painting was generally considered the domain of white or Spanish masters). His two large-scale canvases for the sacristy of Mexico City's Cathedral (1691-98), for example, are considered masterpieces of Mexican Baroque.'"The National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico defines him as "one of the main exponents of the Baroque in Mexico, whose works are characterised by their sumptuousness, detail, and golden tones."His origins were reflected in his creations, "as his father was a man of African and Spanish descent, and Juan Correa was the first to paint angels with black or brown skin tones and the Virgin Mary with a dark complexion," a fact that "would become an unmistakable hallmark in his creations."Highlights among his extensive work include "The Coronation of the Virgin" at the National Museum of the Interventions, one of his masterpieces, and the "Expulsion from Paradise" at the National Museum of the ViceroyaltyOur Lady of Guadalupe, venerated in Mexico with great devotion, is the patroness of the country and the most important incarnation of the Virgin Mary in Latin America. Although the Our Lady of Guadalupe from Extremadura (Southern Spain) accompanied the conquistadors in their great adventure to the New World, the Mexican Virgin has her own origins. Both oral tradition and historical documentation, particularly the Nican Mopohua, narrate the different miracles and apparitions of this virgin to the indigenous man baptised with the name Juan Diego (1474-1548) on the hill of Tepeyac in 1531.According to the legend, there were four appearances of Our Lady of Guadalupe: In the first one, the virgin entrusted Juan Diego to see the bishop Fray Juan de Zumárraga and let him know her will to have a temple built in her honour in the place where she had appeared. Juan Diego obeyed, but the bishop did not believe him. In the second appearance, Juan Diego tells him what happened and asks the Virgin Mary to use another messenger because he was just a poor Indian. The Virgin Mary tells him that it was necessary for him to return to the bishop and repeat the message. Bishop Zumárraga asked him to bring a sign to be sure that it was "the lady from heaven" he was talking about. In the third appearance, the Virgin Mary asked the Indian to go up the hill and cut the flowers he would find there. Juan Diego knew that no flowers grew on that hill, especially not in December, but he found the summit turned into a flowered garden. He cut the flowers and took them to the Virgin Mary in his "ayate" (tunic). Our Lady of Guadalupe instructed him to go back to the Bishop, tell him where he had picked the flowers, and indicate that it was the sign that the Virgin Mary wanted him to build a temple. In the fourth appearance, on December 12, Juan Diego told the bishop everything that had happened, and when he spread out his "ayate", all the roses fell to the ground, and the image of the Virgin Mother of God miraculously appeared on it. After this event, the church was built, and this astonishing image is, according to tradition, zealously guarded by the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.As a result of this event, the worship of Our Lady Guadalupe became enormously prominent, especially within the indigenous sector of the population, becoming one of the most deeply rooted in Mexico and part of its identity. It is not surprising that soon the Mexican devotees wanted to have a copy of this miraculous image, so reproductions and the artists dedicated to creating them proliferated. The fame of this incarnation of the Virgin Mary soon became universal, gaining great veneration throughout Europe, especially in Spain.This representation of the Virgin of Guadalupe is a faithful rendering of the original, with the subtle variations that each artist can provide. The beautiful Virgin Mary is depicted as standing, crowned and surrounded by a mandorla of sun rays amid a cluster of clouds. She is seated on a crescent moon with the points facing upwards, supported by an angel with colourful eagle wings. She is portrayed as a young woman with a serene face and a lowered gaze reflecting love, tenderness, and respect. With her knee slightly bent, she clasps her hands in prayer in the Western manner. She wears a pink tunic adorned with floral elements and a blue mantle decorated with stars that also covers her head. She wears a ribbon around her belly as Aztec women did during their pregnancies, thus announcing that she is a pregnant woman. The iconographic type clearly derives from that of the Immaculate Conception.In this case, Our Lady of Guadalupe is depicted without the Apparitions or other ornamental elements that frequently accompany her and can therefore be considered a strictly faithful copy of the original. Most of these faithful copies, which are more iconographically straightforward, correspond to the earliest ones, generally dating from the 17th century. The more elaborate ones, with cartouches representing the apparitions and miracles, elaborate floral frames, views of the city of Mexico, or the inclusion of angels and archangels, are more typical of the 18th century. All these copies carry an implicit message, as most of them were "touched to the original," so the miraculous character was transmitted, making them bearers of her divinity."Enconchado" technique, so beloved and used in Mexico, actually has Oriental origins. It is a pictorial technique carried out on wood in which sheets of mother-of-pearl from shells and molluscs are inlaid, combined, and fused with oil paint to complete the image. This allows for the play of iridescence, gleam, sparkle, and subtle light effects that are highly valued. Provenance:- Former Pedro Vindel collection.Pedro Vindel was an antiquarian bookseller from Cuenca, as reported by the Royal Academy of History, ‘who became the first Spanish antiquarian bookseller of his time’, with one of the most important collections of books of hours. As the RAH continues, ‘Pedro Vindel, in the style of the great European booksellers, published his catalogues from 1895, and organised several book auctions, in premises rented by him, such as that of 1913, the catalogue of which he had printed. He also initiated what he called ‘graphic bibliography’ in Spain, by including [...] photolithographic reproductions of the covers or other elements of the books in his catalogues’.For further information, we recommend reading ‘Pedro Vindel: Historia de una librería (1865-1921)’, by Pavl Cid Noé. Bibliographical references:- Toussaint, M. Pintura colonial en México. Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Mexico, 1965.- Vargas Lugo, E. "El indio que tenia "el don"..." in Anales del Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas, no. 86, 2005.- Sánchez Mariana, Manuel. (n.d.). "Pedro Vindel Álvarez". https://dbe.rah.es/biografias/67005/pedro-vindel-alvarez- Mediateca Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia. (19 de octubre de 2020). "Juan Correa". https://mediateca.inah.gob.mx/repositorio/node/5231- Mediateca Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia. (22 de enero de 2022). "Juan Correa, pintor novohispano afrodescendiente". https://mediateca.inah.gob.mx/islandora_74/node/5383 

Flemish School. 16th century.‘Mary as the Gateway to Heaven. Allegory of the examination of conscience to achieve a Good Death’.Oil on panel. Accompanied by an imposing carved and gilded wooden frame.92 x 70 cm.Magnificent panel depicting the final moment of a human being lying in the centre of the bottom of the composition, taking stock of his good and bad deeds, the examination of conscience of his life; a prayerful reflection on his thoughts, words and actions in the light of the Gospel to determine how he may have sinned against God and others. The artist must have been familiar with the theology of the time, as taught by St. Ignatius of Loyola in his Spiritual Exercises, which taught: ‘at the end of the day, at the time of going to rest’ ‘to make a daily peaceful reflection on all that has happened [...] to find God in all things [...] even in those where God had apparently hidden himself’. 'The human conscience imagines its life at the ‘hour of eternal rest’. The painter places Mary, the Gate of Heaven, at the centre, as the Mother of Mercy who always awaits with open hands on her heart. In Glory,  the Holy Trinity awaits, God the reigning Father, the Suffering Son and the Holy Spirit who flies over everything and everyone. When contemplating this work, we see three differentiated levels, in which numbered phylacteries fly, like speech bubbles, which arrange the conversation. Above in the sky: Son (11) ‘PATER RESPICE VULNERA MEA...’ (‘Father, remember my wounds...’). And he also addresses his mother (14): ‘MATER MEA, FIAT TIBI SICUT VIS’ (‘My mother, let it be done as you will’). God the Father (12) ‘VENIT TEMPUS MISEREN DIEORUM’ (‘The hour has come for the miserable days’).The Father, who addresses the Virgin and calls her Daughter: ‘FILIA FIAT TIBI SICUT VIS’ (‘Daughter, be it done as you will’). And the third from heaven is the Dove or Holy Spirit (1) ‘SPONSA FIAT TIBI SICUT VIS’ (‘Bride, be it as thou wilt’). On the second level, horizontally speaking, and in the centre, the Virgin responds with three phylacteries (8): ‘PATER RESPICIE IN FACIEM CHRISTI’ (‘Father receive and look at the face of Christ’), (9) ‘FILI ASPICE UBERA QUAE TE LACTAVERUNT’ (‘Son, look at the breasts that suckled you’), and (10) ‘S. Se. DEUS ECCE QUOS AMAS INFIRMANTUR‘ (’God, Holy among the Saints, strengthen those you love"). The angels on the left, over which he prays: ‘PER HANC NOS AD DEUM’ (‘Through these, we go to God’), ask their Queen (7): ‘IUUA PUSILLANIMES, MARIA ANGELORUM REGINA’ (‘Mary, Queen of Angels, look upon the fainthearted youth’). On the right are saints and the Church: Saints Peter and Paul, Popes and Holy Fathers, and Saint Peter the Martyr, among others. Above them: ‘PER HANC DEUS AD NOS’ (‘Through these, God goes to us’), and they respond to their Mother: ‘SU COURE MISERIS SANCTORUM MATER’ (‘Merciful Mother of Saints, attend this tribunal with your heart’). On the earthly level, rests the conscience, lying in the form of a sick human being, who speaks to the Virgin (2): ‘MARIA, TU AB HOSTES PROTEGE ET HORA MORTIS SUSCIPE’ (‘Mary, protect yourself from the enemy and listen to the hour of death’). To which she replies from heaven (16): ‘CONFIDITE FILII, EXAUDITE EST ORATIO NOSTRA’. (‘Son of trust, hear our prayer’). And St. Michael the Archangel, who is named, brandishes his sword over the devil, and says to him (17): ‘IMPERET TIBI DEUS’ (‘God will annihilate you’). And that devil, who is leaning over the recumbent, says (1): ‘PECCAMUSTIS NON SPERETIS VENIAM’ (‘You must sin, do not expect forgiveness’). To the left of the couch, is an angel looking up and praying (5): ‘OCURRITE ANGELI DOMINI’ (‘Angels of the Lord, come’). To the left of his wing we read ‘STOS’ (‘he who remains standing’). To the right of the sick man Saint John the Evangelist (‘PROTECTOR’, behind him, above the shield) cries out: ‘SUB VENITE SANCTI DEI’ (‘Saints of God, come to him’). Two saints pray with the sick man, a Carmelite and an Augustinian, behind whom ‘death breathes, symbolised by the caravel waiting patiently with its shining dart’. The sick man communicates that he has had only one thought, of the fear of God (‘TIMOR DEI’), his whole life rests on the theological virtues, Faith, Hope and Charity (pillows), rests on his good works, thoughts and words (‘BONAE OPERA, BONAE COGITATIONIS, BONAE LOQUTIONES’), and rests on the cardinal virtues (legs of the bed) Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance. The devil, who stalks the dying man, sticks out from under his bed, which raised on a platform covered with a valance: ‘CONFUNDANTUR QUI ME PERSEQUNTUR ET NON CONFUNDAR’ (‘Those who persecute me will be confused, and they will not confuse me’); while the dying man prays and speaks to all: ‘MISEREMINI NOSTRI SALTEM VOS, AMICI NOSTRI’ (‘At least, you, our friends, have mercy on us’). All this theological life ‘has a face, an owner, a face, a family’, represented by the heraldic shield on the right of the evangelist and beloved disciple, either the person who commissioned the work or its painter. A shield in gold, gules and black with a heart surmounted by the Holy Cross of Jerusalem with initials B, E, P, O.Finally, we should note that an almost exactly similar panel, although not so dark in the background colour, with more light, with the same iconography, perhaps also by the same artist, is in the Pilgrimage Museum in Santiago de Compostela.

Novo-Hispanic School. Mexico. Late 17th century. Nicolás Correa Juárez Circle."The Mass of Saint Gregory"Oil on copper. 29,5 x 23,8 cm.An exquisite and very unusual, unique depiction of the well-known Mass of Pope Saint Gregory, as the vision of the Blessed Souls being rescued from Purgatory by angels and taken to heaven also appears in the scene. The composition is designed to save space, as it could have been distributed over two sections of a small diptych. To the right of the scene, as is customary, we see a door with a landscape and figures, and/or members of the papal entourage or donors joining in the main act of the Eucharistic miracle. The ‘pray for the souls, present and absent, and pray for their tribulations’ scene is depicted with a great deal of light in order to attract attention. The painter depicts the apparition of Christ to Pope Saint Gregory the Great while he is celebrating mass on Christmas Day in the Roman Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem with detail and finesse. His assistants also appear, one carrying the cross to guide them and the other with a halo, who also participate in the miracle. Christ, surrounded by the symbols of his Passion, shows his stigmata to assuage the doubts of some of the people present or the Pope's own doubts about Transubstantiation. In some paintings blood appears to flow from the arma christi and is collected in a chalice, but not in this case.Due to its small format, the painting could have been a devotional copper commissioned by a member of the Church, with the aim of moving his soul to devotion and capturing the essence and depth of the Eucharistic celebration at all times, and, at the same time, the vision of hell/purgatory. With it, following the catholic doctrine, he would not forget the sacrament of forgiveness and mercy and would save all souls from their sins and evils that keep them in a constant purgatory. In short, a small copper that embodies the symbol of the Eucharist as a renewal of Christ's sacrifice to save humanity.

Attributed to Luis Juarez (Mexico, circa 1585 - 1639)"Saint Augustine of Hippo and Saint Gregory the Great, Fathers of the Church, and The Four Evangelists"Set of six oils on copper.22.5 x 17 cm (2) each, and 21 x 16 cm (4) each.A magnificent collection of 6 paintings on copper depicting the Evangelists with their iconic symbols and two of the four Fathers of the Church. Matthew with the angel, a man with wings highlighting the humanity of the Son of God; Mark with the lion, a symbol of strength, courage, and royalty; Luke with the bull, a beast of burden, calm and humble, and John with the eagle, the mystic who sees the world from the heights.The two Fathers of the Church depicted are Saint Gregory the Great and Saint Augustine of Hippo. (Possibly the other two, Saint Jerome of Stridon and Saint Ambrose of Milan are missing to complete the octet).Faux ovals contain phrases from their writings, representative of the Gospels or Roman liturgy: "Book of the Genealogy of Jesus, Son of David"; "Behold, I send an angel before you"; "who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel"; "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God"; "Order our days in Your peace"; and "No one should pass without penance."With vibrant and lively colours, creating a cheerful and dynamic rhythm, the paintings display meticulous attention to detail, as well as soft light and shadows. The figures exhibit an idealised yet "almost real" beauty, balanced and serene, capturing the viewer as a contemplative observer of the saints of the church to imitate and follow.

Painter of the Andean viceroyalty. Attributable to Francisco José de Lerma y Villegas (Caracas, Venezuela. 18th century. Active between 1719 and 1753).“Patronage of Our Lady of Mercy over the Order of the Mercedarians”Oil on canvas.The canvas has some damage.52,5 x 39,5 cm. (with frame: 100 x 61 cm.)The painting with the same subject matter as this one, ‘The Patronage of the Virgin of La Merced’, which is kept in the Museo de Arte Colonial de Caracas Quinta de Anauco, is also by Lerma and is based on an engraving by Cavalli. The two have great similarities.As we read in the Royal Academy of History, ‘In his pictorial works we can observe careful drawing, harmonious colouring and an adequate knowledge of light and shade, as well as the combination of various stylistic features resulting from the imitation of prints and engravings from a wide variety of sources’. Our work is based on the engraving by Pieter de Jode I (1565 - 1639) ‘Our Lady of Mercy’ (PI 626A/3935B).Wonderful canvas from New Spain, richly framed, depicting one of the most popular themes in New Spanish art, the so-called "Patrocinio" (Patronage), which shows the Virgin Mary (in this case) or a saint (cf. parallels with the Patronage of Saint Joseph in this same auction, lot 62) protecting communities, religious orders, corporations and authorities under her mantle (with a clientelistic and corporate scheme typical of the Ancien Régime), as the main recipients of her heavenly benefits.Our Lady of Mercy and the Redemption of the Captives is the Queen and Lady of the Order of Mercy (Latin: Ordo Beatæ Mariæ Virginis de Redemptione Captivorum), a Catholic mendicant religious order, founded in 1218 by Saint Peter Nolasco (ca. 1180-1245) for the redemption of Christian captives in the hands of Muslims.  The Mercedarians committed themselves with a fourth vow, to liberate others who were weaker in the faith, even if their lives were endangered by it.This Virgin of Mercy, crowned ‘as queen’ of heaven under the Holy Trinity who contemplates and blesses the moment, protects the order of the Mercedarians, the Pope and the King under her wide mantle, raised and supported by two angels.The Pope we see is Gregory IX, who approved this religious order in 1235 with the Papal Bull "Devotionis vestrae"; next to him is Saint Raymond Nonnatus, another of the ‘principals’ of this order; the king, James I of Aragon, known as ‘the conqueror’ and, next to him, its founder Saint Peter Nolasco, and Saint Mary of Cervelló, left, founder of the female branch of this order, with some more of these Mercedarian sisters.All, without exception, are prostrate on a period checkered tiled floor: the king, the Pope and his bishops, and the entire religious order, kneel before the Virgin Mary and Lady Queen with both knees, an external gesture that expresses the greatest sign of submission.On the floor are scattered shackles, symbols of the redeemed captives.The painting has an imposing period frame, richly carved and gilded, with sections in painted glass (the polychrome is posterior). It is polychromed in blue, with flowery poinsettia, enclosing and completing the beauty and devotion of the painting. Bibliographic reference:- Ojeda, Almerindo. 2005-2024. Project for the Engraved Sources of Spanish Colonial Art (PESSCA). Website located at colonialart.org. Date accessed: 21/10/2024.

Francisco Clapera (Barcelona, 1746 – Mexico, 1810)"Immaculate Conception"Oil on copper. Signed and dated "Clapera fecit 1798".There is a small dent in the upper right corner.63,5 x 41,5 cm.Francisco Clapera was a Spanish painter who, after graduating from the Royal Academy of San Fernando in Madrid in 1768, spent much of his artistic career in Mexico, where he arrived via Peru during the 1770s. He participated in the founding of the Royal Academy of San Carlos, where he also taught painting. There, under the direction of Jerónimo Antonio Gil (the first director of the Academy), Clapera introduced European artistic techniques such as Contrapposto to Mexican painting. These techniques made "his casta paintings more dynamic than those of his Mexican contemporaries," as noted by Joy Davis in her work "Eighteenth-century dress and fashion in the casta paintings of Francisco Clapera" (2015).However, in 1790, "he resigned from his position as head of painting" at the Academy, as reported by art historian Clara Bargellini, who also states that "he is known to have created the altarpiece of Our Lady of Mercy in the Sacristy of Mexico." These two quotes are taken from the publication “Dos series de pinturas de Francisco Clapera” (1994) (Two series of paintings by Francisco Clapera), in the scientific journal Anales del Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas, where Bargellini reveals "fifteen paintings of the life of the Virgin and ten half-length figures of apostles [that] are currently in the bishop's office in the building annexed to the cathedral in the city of Durango"; two series bearing Clapera's signature that were previously unknown. According to the Doctor, "despite the Neoclassicism of the language, the artist's dramatic handling of light and shadow is striking."Francisco Clapera is also known for being the author of the only complete series of caste paintings in the United States and one of the few that remain intact in the world. It is dated circa 1775, in Mexico, and consists of sixteen oils on copper, two of which are signed (inv. 2011.428.1-.16).It has been on display at the Denver Museum of Art since 1996 and, as explained in its cataloguing information, "depicts families in domestic settings engaged in private activities, providing a rare glimpse into daily life in 18th-century Mexico. Others depict occupations and serve as a document of life in colonial times. The clothing, activities, and utensils reveal the hybridisation of 18th-century Mexican culture in its blend of European, Asian, and Mexican material culture."The collection was one of the main attractions of the exhibition "ReVision: Art in the Americas," organised by the Denver Art Museum (October 2021 - July 2022) and, in partnership with that museum, exhibited again at the Minneapolis Institute of Art very recently (June - September 2023). Reference bibliography:- Bargellini, Clara. (1994). Dos series de pinturas de Francisco Clapera. “Anales del Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas” (Nº. 65), 159-178. https://dx.doi.org/10.22201/iie.18703062e.1994.65.1702- Davis, Joy. (2015). “Eighteenth-century Dress and Fashion in the Casta Paintings of Francisco Clapera” [Master's Thesis, Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York]. FIT Institutional Repository. https://institutionalrepository.fitnyc.edu/item/326- Minneapolis Institute of Art. (8th June 2023). “The Minneapolis Institute of Art’s Newest Exhibition, in Partnership with the Denver Art Museum, Provides a Poignant Look into the History of Latin America”. https://new.artsmia.org/press/the-minneapolis-institute-of-arts-newest-exhibition-in-partnership-with-the-denver-art-museum-provides-a-poignant-look-into-the-history-of-latin-america- Pierce, Donna. (2015). Descriptive file on “De Mulato, y Española, Morisco”, by Francisco Clapera. Denver Art Museum. https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/object/2011.428.5

Luis Egidio Meléndez (Naples, 1716 – Madrid, 1780)"Still Life with Pears, Peaches, Grapes, and Melon"Oil on canvas. Relined.44 x 63 cm.This painting is an analogous version to the one kept in the Prado Museum, dated 1771 and of almost identical dimensions, 42 x 62 cm (Catalogue No. P000931).As stated in the Prado Museum biography of the artist: "A Spanish painter, born in Italy to a Spanish family of Asturian origin, he was the son of Francisco Antonio, the miniaturist, and nephew of Miguel Jacinto, the portraitist. He began his education in Madrid alongside his father, then attended classes at the Preparatory Board of the Academy of San Fernando and was a pupil of Louis-Michel van Loo, mastering portrait technique, as demonstrated by his magnificent Self-Portrait (Musée du Louvre). His father’s expulsion from the board, and a probable conflict with Van Loo as a result, led to his dismissal from academic studies. He travelled to Italy and later returned to Spain, where he initially worked as a miniaturist, but his most significant contribution was in still life painting, becoming one of the most distinguished still-life painters in the history of the genre. His career belongs to the second half of the 18th century, a period when the century entered a decisive phase, gradually shaped during the reign of Philip V, both by the presence of foreigners at court and by the travels of Spaniards to Italy, along with projects to reorganise artistic education, an era that would reach its peak with Goya. Meléndez's paintings are generally characterised by great sobriety, executed with a solid sense of drawing and perfectionist realism, down to the smallest details. His ordered and clear compositions, with a taste for contrasts of light and shadow, possess an intensity that recalls the best achievements of Sánchez Cotán or Zurbarán."Reference bibliography:https://dbe.rah.es/biografias/16867/luis-egidio-melendez-de-riberahttps://www.museodelprado.es/aprende/enciclopedia/voz/melendez-luis-egidio/e99ecaad-8a11-4614-932f-960df1f833e4https://www.museobbaa.com/obra/bodegon-de-cocina/

Attributed to Sebastián López de Arteaga (Seville, 1610 - Mexico, 1656).Carved, wooden "cell cross" painted in oils.61.5 x 31.5 cm.  Powerful, inspiring and devotional oil painting on panel with the image of Christ Crucified at the moment when, according to the Evangelist John or Psalm 22, He says some of his seven last sayings: - to God, his Father: ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?- to all: ‘I thirst’;- to the world: ‘All is fulfilled’;- and finally to God: ‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit’.The ‘cell cross’ is a type of devotional piece very common in Spanish and Latin-American convents and monasteries in the 17th and 18th centuries, and was placed inside each cell for the personal use and worship of each monk or nun.The cross has rectilinear sections, unadorned, and worked in an illusionist, three-dimensional manner, the amount of light is somewhere halfway between the typically Baroque tenebrist light and expression of pathos and the artificial Mannerist light, that invisible ‘cannon of light’ that makes us look at Him.  Christ appears in the centre, with foreshortened and expressively deformed anatomy, which denotes the continuance of mannerism even into the 17th century. Following this Christ from top to bottom, at his feet we see a depiction of death treading on the devil.  While regarding the pain and death of Jesus on the cross, the skeleton at his feet may seem to be perverse mockery, or nihilistic and macabre irony.This design of a skull (Adam's skull) with two tibias, or scattered bones, and a sitting or standing skeleton originated in the late Middle Ages as a symbol of death and especially as a ‘memento mori’, a visual reflexion on the transience of life (remember that you will die...). In this work, and on the same plane or level, death steps on the devil, on evil, as if they were saying to each other: neither you nor I have the last word, only the resurrection.And horizontally, like two ‘loving’ messages flowing from the blood of his hands, we see two birds: in his right hand, as we look at it, the Phoenix on a burning fire, a symbol of hope, poise, memory and regeneration, a miraculous bird that feels death and prepares it with care and serenity to then rise from its ashes unharmed and vigorous (an impossible dream for a human being who has no faith ...); in his left hand, as a finale, he presents a bird and its chicks, which she feeds with her own flesh and blood.  The pelican, one of the symbols of Christ, of His martyrdom and death as salvation through the ultimate sacrifice and love for others. In Catholicism it is associated with the Eucharist: with the immolation of Jesus, who with His own flesh and blood nourishes and redeems humanity.   A true example of love is the pelican that restores its young with its own blood.  Such is the love of Christ who with His blood restores life and gives us his kingdom on the cross.The composition ends with this pelican which encloses, with a motto, the expression of love of this Christ on the cross: ‘SIC’, ‘HIS QUI DILIGUNT’ (Thus - For those who love). 

A Hasselblad 500C/M Medium Format Film Camera, black, body G, mirror and advance works, has been hand-painted gloss black on the back plate, obscuring the serial number, with a Carl Zeiss Distagon f/5.6 60mm lens, chrome, barrel F-G, optics F-G with light dust and haze, and a Carl Zeiss Planar f2/8 80mm lens, which has been hand-painted gloss black, and does not focus correctly, with a waist level finder, G and an eye-level finder, also hand-painted black, three film backs all with hand-painting on the interface plate, some filters and a hand grip.

A Fujica 8 T3 8mm Cine Camera, black/silver, body G, motor winds and runs smoothly, with lenses Fujinon f/1.9 13mm, optics G, Fujinon f/1.9 6.5mm, optics F-G, Fujinon F/1.9 26mm, optics F-G with light fungus, in maker's rigid case, with a group of pistol grip releases.

A NIkon F2A Photomic SLR Camera, 1978, black, serial no. 7788996, with Nikon Nikkor-H f/2 50mm lens, black, serial no. 905346, body, G, shutter working, lens, G-VG, some light internal haze

A Krasnogorsk-3 Cine Camera with Meteor 5-1 f/1.9 Lens, black, body F-G, slight rippling to front panel, winding spring works and motor runs, with a Krasnogorsk Meteor 5-1 Camera Lens, black, serial number 855594, f/1.9 17-69mm, barrel VG, optics G with light dust, with front cap.

A Group of 35mm Cameras, comprising a Pentax Spotmatic F, silver, body G, shutter works, with a Meyer-Optik Domiplan f/2.8 50mm lens, barrel G, optics F-G with a light fungus patch, a Pentax MG, silver, body G, shutter jammed, mirror is up, with a smc-Pentax-M f/2 50mm lens, barrel G, optics F-G with haze, a Pentax ME Super, silver, body G, shutter jammed, mirror is up, with a smc-Pentax-M f/1.7 50mm lens, barrel G, optics F-G with haze, a Chinon CM-4, black, body G, shutter works, with an auto-Chinon f/1.9 50mm lens, barrel G, optics F-G with haze, and a Minolta Vectis S-1, grey, body G, untested, with two lenses, a Minolta 22-80mm zoom, and a Minolta 25-150mm zoom, barrels G, optics G.

A Selection of Minolta 35mm Autofocus SLR Cameras, comprising a Dynax 5, silver, body VG, powers up, needs film to test the shutter, with a Minolta AF 28-80 zoom lens, a Maxxum 4, silver, body VG, powers up, shutter fires, AF works, with a Minolta AF 28-80 zoom lens, a Dynax 7000i, black, body VG, powers up, shutter fires, AF works, with a Minolta AF 35-105 zoom lens, optics G, an AF5000, black, body VG, powers up, shutter fires, AF works, with a Minolta AF 28-80 zoom lens, optics F with fungus, and a Dynax 500si, black, body VG, powers up, shutter fires, AF works, with a Minolta AF 28-80 zoom lens, optics G with light haze.

A Selection of Mixed Photographica and Other Items, to include a Portaflash light bulb, a number of lens adapters, releases, a 1986 Scottish £2 coin, a small set of Imperial weights ½ ounce to 8 ounce, and other items

A Mixed Selection of Camera Lenses, to include an Olympus Zuiko Auto-W f/2.8 28mm, barrel G, optics F, with light fungus, a Sicor-XL auto tele zoom f/4.5 80-200 zoom macro, barrel VG, optics F, Nikon Ai mount, with caps and case, a Tokina f/3.5 70-210mm zoom, Nikon Ai mount, optics F with light fungus, with caps and case, and a Sigma mini-wide f/2.8 28mm, barrel F-G, optics F with fungus, with caps and case.

A Leica IIIc Rangefinder Camera Body Red Curtain Model, silver, serial number 363280, body G, light marks to front-centre of top plate, and usage marks to bottom plate, shutter works, rangefinder visible.

A Canon A-1 35mm SLR Camera, black, serial number 252768, body G, light brassing to top plate, shutter works, internal display works, appears to meter, with a Canon FD f/1.8 50mm lens, barrel G, optics G.

A Zeiss Ikon Icarex 35CS Pro, 35mm Camera, black, serial number 17156, body VG, shutter works, with metered prism, with Carl Zeiss Tessar f/2.8 50mm lens, barrel G, optics G with light dust and haze, with cap.

An Olympus OM-2N MD 35mm SLR Camera Body silver, serial number 674332, body VG, with manual adapter, shutter works at all speeds, viewfinder display working, responds to light levels, with body cap and ERC.

A Linhof Technika III 6x9 Medium Format Camera, black/chrome, serial number 49692, body G, focussing screen clear, controls working, with a Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar f/3.5 105mm, barrel F, has a dent in the filter ring, optics F-G with dust and light haze, with two roll film backs, one being a super rollex, F-G, and a rollex, G,

A Carl Zeiss Jena f/4 50mm Flektogon Lens, black, serial number 9860891, barrel G, light marks to lens hood, iris works well, optics VG, very light haze, with caps.

A Group of 35mm Cameras, comprising a Minolta AL-F, silver, body G, shutter works, rangefinder works, a Minolta A5, silver, body G, shutter clicks but blades don't open, rangefinder works, a Canonet 28, , silver, body G, shutter works, rangefinder works, and Kowa H, silver, body G, shutter advances but not firing, light meter responds to light levels,

A Schneider-Kreuznach Sonnar f/4 135mm Camera Lens, chrome, serial number 4885195, barrel VG, optics f-G with light haze, screw mount, in maker's case.

A Good Hasselblad Flight Case / Briefcase, in VG condition, the interior retains a good amount of original parts, and relatively light wear, with Hasselblad name window to inner cover,

A Minolta XG-M 35mm SLR Camera, silver, serial number 2268917, body VG, shutter works, viewfinder LEDs work, responds to light, with a Vivitar 75-205mm zoom lens, barrel G, optics VG.

An Olympus Trip 35 Compact Camera, chrome, serial number 5354963, shutter working, camera appears to respond to light, body G-VG, optics G.

A Carl Zeiss Tessar f/4.5 150mm Large Format Lens, chrome, barrel G, optics G with light dust, seperation on rear, in a Linhof shutter, works but inaccurate at slow speeds.

A Selection of 35mm Camera Lenses, to include a Tamron Adaptall f/2.8-3.8 35-80mm with OM mount, barrel G, optics G, a Tokina AF f/4-5.6 70-210mm, barrel G, optics G with light haze, a Hoya f/5.6 300mm prime, barrel G, optics G, a Vivitar auto wide-angle f/2.8 24mm prime, a Zuiko f/4 75-150mm, barrel G, optics F-G with light haze, and a couple of tubes and converters.

A Minolta X-570 35mm SLR Camera, black, serial number 9065595, body VG, shutter works, viewfinder LEDs work, responds to light, with a MD f/1.7 50mm lens, barrel G, optics G with light dust.

A Krasnogorsk Jupiter-3 f/1.5 5cm Lens, chrome, serial number 5605473, barrel G, bayonet mount, optics F-G with light fungus and cleaning marks, with caps.

An Olympus OM-1 35mm SLR Camera, silver, serial number 1060023, body G, shutter works, unable to test metering, with a Zuiko Auto-S f/1.8 50mm lens, barrel G, optics F with light dust and fungus, and with an Olympus OM winder 2, untested.

A Trio of Olympus Trip 35 Film Cameras, comprising serial number 979580, body G, shutter works, appears to meter light, in maker's box with soft case, serial number 4635019, body G, shutter works, appears to not meter light, with soft case, serial number 3268795, body G, shutter not working, with soft case.

A Selection of 35mm Cameras, comprising a Canonet, silver, body G, advance works, shutter not opening, in ERC, a Zorki 6, silver, body G, shutter works but needs attention, with an Industar f/3.5 50mm lens, barrel G, optics F with light cleaning marks, a Zeiss Ikon Contina J, body VG, shutter working, with Color-Pantar f/2.8 45mm lens, and an Olympus Trip 35, body G, advance works, shutter fires, aperture does not seem to respond to light.

A Selection of Praktica 35mm SLR Cameras, comprising a MTL3, silver, body VG, shutter works, with a Prakticar f/2.8 50mm lens, barrel G, optics G, a TLB, silver, body VG, advance jammed, not further tested, with a Chinon f/3.3 200mm lens, barrel G, optics F with haze behind front element, an LTL, silver, body G, shutter works, with a Carl Zeiss Jena f/2.8 50mm lens, barrel G, optics F with light fungus, a super TL, silver, body G, shutter works but slow speeds inaccurate, with a Carl Zeiss Jena f/2.8 50mm lens, barrel G, optics F with light fungus, a Nova, silver, body G, shutter works, with a Jupiter-11 f/4 135mm lens, barrel G, optics G.

A Group of Digital Compact Cameras, comprising a Fujifilm Finepix A900, body G, LCD G, powers up, takes a picture, flashes, an Olympus Camedia FE-5500, body G, no battery, untested, a Sony WX-350, black, body G, light scratches to LCD, no battery, untested, a Minolta Dimage EX, body G, LCD G, powers up, and a Minolta Dimage Z1, body G, LCD G, powers up,

A Sekonic Auto-Lumi Waterproof Exposure Meter, body G, responds to light, in plastic bubble with external controls.

A Canon AE-1 35mm SLR Camera, silver, serial number 5536416, body VG, light marks to base plate, shutter works with audible squeak, meter responds to light levels, with a Canon FD f/1.8 50mm lens, barrel VG, optics G with light haze.

A Group of 35mm Rangefinder Cameras, comprising a Rank Mamiya, silver, body F-G, shutter cocks but blades don't open, meter responds to light, rangefinder works, a Petri Computor 35, black, body F-G, shutter cocks but blades don't open, meter, rangefinder works, a Yashica Minister-D, silver, body G, shutter cocks but blades open slowly, meter not responding to light, rangefinder works, and a Petri 7-S, silver, body G, shutter cocks but blades don't open, meter responding to light, rangefinder works,

An Olympus OM-10 35mm SLR Camera, silver, serial number 829553, body VG, with manual adapter, shutter works at all speeds, viewfinder display working, responds to light levels, with a Zuiko f/1.8 50mm lens, barrel G, aperture blades slow, optics G, and ERC.

A Trio of Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Cameras, comprising Contaflex Super, serial number V81279, silver, body G, name "OM Lee" scratched on rear of top plate, shutter works but slow at 1 second, light meter not responding, with Tessar f/2.8 50mm lens, number 2774001, optics G with light dust, with ERC, VG, also Contaflex Super S-Matic, serial number B31594, silver, body VG-E, shutter works but slow at 1 second, light meter responding, with Tessar f/2.8 50mm lens, number 3419551, optics VG, with ERC, VG, and Contaflex Super, serial number G24681, silver, body VG-E, shutter works but slow at 1 second, light meter not responding, with Tessar f/2.8 50mm lens, number 4006732, optics G, with ERC, VG,

A Selection of Camera Lenses, comprising a Carl Zeiss Pro-Tessar f/3.2 85mm, barrel G, optics G, an Auto-Berolina f/2.8 135mm screw mount, barrel G, optics F with haze, a Pentax DA f/1.8 50mm, barrel VG, optics G with light dust, a Canon FD f/4 35-70 zoom, barrel G, optics G, a Sunactinon f/4.5 80-200mm Macro, barrel G, optics G, a Zuiko OM f/1.8 50mm, barrel G, optics G, aperture blades sligthly slow, and a Sigma f/2.8 50mm macro, Minolta A-mount, barrel G, AF slightly gritty, optics F with haze.

A Leitz Wetzlar Hektor f/4.5 135mm Lens, chrome, bayonet mount, serial number 1719346, barrel VG, optics G with light haze and dust, with IUFOO hood.

A Nikon Underwater Lens for Nikonos Cameras, chrome, f/2/5 35mm, barrel G, optics F-G with light dust and haze, with caps.

A Selection of Slide Viewer Systems, to include a Simon slide viewing system, a Wotan slide viewer, a Hama light box, an unsigned light box, a Cabin 900 viewer, and a Paterson viewer.

A Schneider-Kreuznach PA-Curtagon f/4 35mm Lens for Leica R, black, serial number 3175030, barrel G, optics G with light haze under the front element, with rear cap and an unmatched soft case.

A Pentax K2 35mm SLR Camera, silver, serial number 7028394, body G, shutter works, meter responds to light, with a smc Pentax f/2.8 35mm lens, barrel G, optics G with light dust, with lens cap.

A Selection of Yashica 35mm SLR Cameras, comprising an ST605, silver, body VG, shutter works, metering not tested, with a Sirius 28-70mm zoom lens, barrel G, optics F with haze, an FRII, silver, body G, shutter works, metering not tested, with a Yashica f/2 55mm lens, barrel G, optics G with light haze, and an FX-D Quartz, silver, body P-F with dirty leatherette, shutter not working, metering not tested, with a Mitakon f/3.5 200mm lens, barrel G, optics G with light dust,

A Canon EOS 300D Digital SLR Camera, silver, body F-G, some light surface marks, powers up, autofocusses, takes a picture, with a Canon EF-S 18-55 zoom lens, barrel G, optics G, light dust, with cap, battery and charger.

A Soviet Jupiter-9 M42 Portrait Lens, black, serial number 7407146, barrel VG, optics G with light dust, with cap, hood and maker's bubble.

A Leitz Vario-Elmar-R f/3.5 35-70mm Zoom Lens, black, serial number 3319644, barrel VG, optics F-G with light dust and haze, with caps, filter and a Leitz soft case.

A Canon AE-1 35mm SLR Camera, silver, serial number 1158634, body G, shutter works, internal display works, appears to meter, with a Canon FD f/1.8 50mm lens, barrel G, optics F-G with light dust and haze.

A Rollei Magic Medium Format TLR Camera, black, serial number 3518789, body VG, some dust in viewfinder, light meter responding, shutter working, with Schneider-Kreuznach Xena f/3.5 75mm lens, optics G, wirh ERC, G.

A Telear-5V f/5.6 250mm lens for Zenit Cameras, black, serial number 930229, optics G with light fungus patches, iris has one blade slightly out of alignment, with caps and case.

A Selection of Binoculars, to include an example stamped R.E.L. Canada, and CGB 57 GA, 7x50, body F-G, optics F-G with light haze, in a case stamped H.M.P. II, a set of Ross Stepruva 9x35, body F, optics VG, in maker's case, a Viper 10x50, body F-G, optics F-G, light haze and fungus, a Tegnar 16x50, body G, optics F-G with light haze, in a good case, and a Pennine Trail 8x50.

A Pair of M42 Camera Lenses, comprising a Takumar f/3.5 135mm, barrel G, optics F-G with very light fungus, with caps, case and hood, and a Prinzflex Auto Reflex f/2.8 28mm, barrel G, optics F, with haze and dust, with caps.

An Nikon Nikkormat FT 35mm SLR Camera, black, serial number 4518328, body G, base plate has marks and dent, shutter works, unable to test meter, with an Auto-Makinon 28-80mm zoom lens, barrel G, optics VG with light dust.

A Pair of Enlarging Lenses comprising a Leitz Wetzlar Voort f/4 9.5cm, chrome, serial number 450304, barrel F-G, has minor scratches to front where the lens has been serviced, optics F-G with light haze, and a similar unsigned lens, focal length not marked.