7/31/2019 RESULTS: Christie's Old Master Paintings ~ June 6, 2012, New York

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For Immediate Release

 June 6, 2012

Contact: Sara Fox sfox@christies.com  tel +1 212 636 2680

16th CENTURY MASTERPIECE BY GIROLAMO ROMANINO ACHIEVES $4,562,500

“Christ Carrying the Cross,” Restituted to the Heirs of Federico Gentili di Giuseppe,

Sets World Auction Record For The Artist 

GIROLAMO ROMANINO (Brescia 1484/87-1560)Christ Carrying the Cross 

New York  –  Christie’s Old Master Paintings sale on June 6 in New York was led by the magnificent pictureof  Christ Carrying the Cross  by Girolamo Romanino (Brescia 1484/87-1560), which sold for

$4,562,500/£2,965,625/ €3,650,000, and set a world auction record for the artist. A masterpiece of 

Romanino’s fully mature style and among the most potent and moving   depictions of the theme in 16th 

century Italian art, the new auction record soars above the previous record of $512,502/£309,500 for Christ 

and the woman taken into adultery , which sold at Christie’s London in 1996. Comprised of 98 lots, The Old

Master Paintings sale realized a total of $12,574,125/£8,173,181/ €10,059,300.

7/31/2019 RESULTS: Christie's Old Master Paintings ~ June 6, 2012, New York

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 A leading painter of the north Italian school, Girolamo di Romano, who during his lifetime came to be

called Romanino, was born between 1484 and 1487 in Brescia, then under Venetian rule. Active as a painter

of frescoes, altarpieces, portraits and private devotional pictures, Romanino worked in numerous cities

across northern Italy, including Padua, Cremona, Trento and Brescia, which remained his chief residence

over the course of his career.

Provenance and Restitution

 A Christ Carrying the Cross by Romanino was documented in the Brognoli collection in Brescia in 1820, but

cannot be identified with certainty as the present picture. The first secure record of its whereabouts dates

from 1853, when it was seen by Odorici in the distinguished collection of Cesare and Antonio Averoldi in

Brescia. This points to the possibility that the picture may have originally been painted for a member of the

 Averoldi family, who in the 16th century were among the most prominent art patrons in the city, having 

commissioned works from Titian, Savoldo, Moretto da Brescia as well as from Romanino. By 1900, the

picture had passed into the Crespi collection, Milan, following the 1914 sale of which it was acquired in

Paris by Federico Gentili di Giuseppe. After his death in 1940, the picture was sold in a forced sale of his

estate in Paris in 1941. By 1996, it had entered the Polli collection, Milan, from which it was acquired, in

1998, by the Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan. On 2 June 1999, the Court of Appeals of Paris nullified the 1941

sale, determining that Mr. Gentili di Giuseppe's family had been prevented from attending to the

administration of the estate. Thereafter, the heirs pursued the restitution of the collection. Restituted by 

order of the United States District Court, Northern District of Florida, on 6 February 2012, the picture was

returned to the heirs of Federico Gentili di Giuseppe on 18 April 2012.

 About Christie’s

Christie’s, the world's leading art business, had global auction and private sales in 2011 that totaled £3.6 billion/$5.7 billion.Christie’s is a name and place that speaks of extraordinary art, unparalleled service and expertise, as well as international glamour.Founded in 1766 by James Christie, Christie's has since conducted the greatest and most celebrated auctions through the centuriesproviding a popular showcase for the unique and the beautiful. Christie’s offers over 450 auctions annually in over 80 categories,including all areas of fine and decorative arts, jewellery, photographs, collectibles, wine, and more. Prices range from $200 to over$100 million. Christie's also has a long and successful history conducting private sales for its clients in all categories, with emphasison Post-War and Contemporary, Impressionist and Modern, Old Masters and Jewellery. Private sales totaled £502 million /$808.6m in 2011, an increase of 44% on the previous year.

Christie’s has a global presence with 53 offices in 32 countries and 10 salerooms around the world including in London, New  York, Paris, Geneva, Milan, Amsterdam, Dubai, Zürich, and Hong Kong. More recently, Christie’s has led the market withexpanded initiatives in growth markets such as Russia, China, India and the United Arab Emirates, with successful sales andexhibitions in Beijing, Mumbai and Dubai.

*  Estimates do not include buyer’s premium. Sales totals are hammer price plus buyer’s premium and do not reflect costs, financ ing fees or application of buyer’s or seller’s cr edits. 

# # #

Images available on request 

Visit Christie’s Website at  www.christies.com  Complete catalogue available online at  www.christies.com or via the Christie’s iPhone app 

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 Old Master Paintings

New York  – Wednesday, 6 June 2012Sale no: 2564 – Top Ten

[All sold prices include buyer’s premium] 

Sold: $12,574,125 £8,173,181  €10,059,300Lots Sold: 60 Lots Offered: 98 Sold by Lot: 61% Sold by $: 82%

Exchange Rate: £0.65= $1 /  €0.80= $1

Nicholas Hall, Co-Chairman of Old Masters & 19th Century Art, comments: “We are delighted with the worldauction record of $4.6 million for Girolamo Romanino’s masterpiece, Christ Carrying the Cross, which was the top lot of the sale. A world auction record was also set for Philippe de Champaigne’s The Holy Family with a Sparrow , a painting recently rediscovered by Christie’s specialists. The eleven paintings sold by the Metropolitan Museum of Art to benefitthe acquisitions fund were 100% sold and were led by Hubert Robert’s The Ruins and The Old Bridge , which realized$1,874,500. We look forward to the outstanding series of Old Masters Sales that will take place in London in July .”Press Contact Sara Fox, 212 636 2680 sfox@christies.com Date and Location of Next Sale London, 3 July 2012

Lot Description Estimate ($)Purchase

PriceBuyer

99Girolamo Romanino (Brescia 1484/7-1560) Christ Carrying the Cross , oil on canvasWORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR THE ARTIST

2,500,000 - 3,500,000$4,562,500 £2,965,625 €3,650,000

Private

81Hubert Robert (Paris 1733-1808 )The Ruins and The Old Bridge , oil on canvas

800,000 - 1,200,000$1,874,500 £1,218,425 €1,499,600

European Trade

74Pieter Brueghel II (Brussels 1564/5-1637/8 Antwerp),The Whitsun Bride , oil on panel 200,000 - 300,000

$686,500

£446,225 €549,200 

European Trade

34Follower of Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Four anthropomorphic 

 figures: An allegory of the four seasons , oil on canvas 40,000 - 60,000

$662,500 £430,625 €530,000 

European Trade

33

Philippe de Champaigne (Brussels 1602-1674 Paris),The Holy Family with a Sparrow , oil and gold on panel laiddown on boardWORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR THE ARTIST 

200,000 - 300,000$578,500£376,025 €462,800 

Private

82Sir Peter Paul Rubens (Siegen, Westphalia 1577-1640 Antwerp), The Adoration of the Magi, oil on panel

500,000 - 1,000,000$446,500 £290,225

 €357,200 

South AmericanPrivate

72Pieter Brueghel II (Brussels 1564/5-1637/8 Antwerp),The birdtrap, oil on panel

250,000 - 350,000$410,500 £266,825 €328,400 

European Private

46Studio of Sir Anthony van Dyck (Antwerp 1599-1641London), Portrait of François Langlois, half-length, playing a musette , oil on canvas 

80,000 - 120,000$338,500 £220,025 €270,800 

UK Trade

61 Jan Frans van Dael (Antwerp 1764-1840 Paris), A vase of flowers with a bird's nest on a marble ledge , oil oncanvas

250,000 - 350,000$314,500 £204,425 €251,600 

 Anonymous

39Master of San Hermenegildo (active Seville, circa1630-1640), Saint Agnes , oil on canvas 

150,000 - 250,000$218,500 £140,025 €174,800

European Private