Guido Reni, 1575 Bologna - 1642 ebenda Lot n° 279

THE SELF-OFFERING OF LUCREZIAOil on canvas. 93 x 78 cm. Circa 1614/15. Unframed. Attached expert opinion by Nicolas Turner, Halstead, June 6, 2011. The attached very detailed expert opinion lists the versions, discusses the chronological classifications, and judges the present work to be of far higher quality than the known other versions. The expert opinion points out that the painting became known only after the completion of the catalog raisonné by D. Stephen Pepper and therefore could not be entered. Lucrezia, according to early Roman legend the faithful wife of Collatinus from the royal family, known for her beauty, even more for her virtue, was desired by Tarquinius, a relative of her husband. On suitable occasions he sought to rape her. When she refused, he threatened to lay her body beside that of a slave and charge her with fornication after catching them both in the act and killing them. So she surrendered, told her parents what had happened, and was acquitted. However, she preferred to disrobe herself so that her offense would not serve as an example in the future. According to the legend, the event led to a popular uprising against the monarchy. The literary discussion about Lucrezia's guilt or innocence, which has followed since antiquity, has even involved church teachers. Even Dante interpreted the legend in his "Divine Comedy". All painters, from Botticelli and Rembrandt to modern times, devoted themselves to the theme, as did Shakespeare and Pushkin. In music, it was Handel and Scarlatti, Respighi and others who provided settings. Even Lessing took up the theme in his play "Emilia Galotti" and transposed it to modern times. This is the only way to understand the cultural-historical and ethical dimension in which the theme was present up to modern times, and why the legend was able to become such a frequent subject in painting. Guido Reni took up the motif several times. According to the enclosed expert opinion, the present version can be regarded as the first version of this well-known pictorial invention. In the author's opinion, it is probably the painting mentioned in the Patrizi collection in 1624. The sitter is shown in half-length portrait, her chest half exposed, the direction of the dagger in her right hand is followed by the entire posture, the gaze is directed upward, but still without the eyes painted so prominently for the painter Reni in his later years. The incarnate parts show fine sfumato delimitation from the background, with slight blushing in the face in view of the momentary excitement. The painter has also dispensed with protruding blood, as is generally observed in Italian painting, but the deep red cloak, which also identifies Lucrezia as a member of the royal family, stands for this. A.R. (1300011) (2) Literature: D. Stephen Pepper, Guido Reni. A complete catalogue of his works with an introductory text, New York 1984 Sybille Ebert-Schifferer (ed.), Guido Reni and Europe. Ruhm und Nachruhm, exhibition catalog Schirn-Kunsthalle, Frankfurt/M. 1988-1989, Frankfurt/M. 1988. Guido Reni, 1575 Bologna - 1642 ibid. THE SUICIDE OF LUCRETIAOil on canvas. 93 x 78 cm. Ca. 1614/15. Unframed. Accompanied by an expert's report by Nicolas Turner, Halstead, 6 June 2011. The enclosed detailed report lists the versions, discusses the chronological classifications, and assesses the present work as being of far higher quality than other known versions. The report indicates that the painting only appeared after the completion of S. Pepper's catalogue raisonné and could therefore no longer be included. Literature: D. Stephen Pepper, Guido Reni. A complete catalogue of his works with an introductory text, New York 1984 Sybille Ebert-Schifferer (ed.), Guido Reni und Europa. Ruhm und Nachruhm, exhibition catalogue Schirn-Kunsthalle, Frankfurt/M. 1988-1989, Frankfurt/M. 1988.