Bernadino Campi

Anonymous sale, London, Replica Shoes 's, 7 December 1994, lot 284;

Where acquired.

This painting serves as an autograph ricordo of Bernardino Campi’s 1575 altarpiece for the Church of Santa Maria della Croce in Crema, faithfully preserving the composition of the original public commission. It is closely related to a red chalk preparatory drawing now in the Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf, and reflects Campi’s practice of recording major works in painted form. The composition was later adapted, with minor variations, by Cristoforo Magnani in a signed and dated painting of 1578 in the Museo Civico Ala Ponzone, Cremona.