The Flight into Egypt

by 1846 - 1924
Edward John Rudge (1763-1846), Worcestershire, England; his family, by inheritance [1]

1924/12/16-17 - 1949
Bernard Houthakker (1884-1963), Amsterdam, The Netherlands, purchased at sale of Rudge Collection, Christie's, London, England, December 16-17, 1924, lot no. 73 [2]

1949 - 1951
J. Lionberger Davis (1878-1973), St. Louis, MO, purchased from Bernard Houthakker

1951 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by J. Lionberger Davis [3]


Notes:
This provenance is primarily based on a document, dated October 26, 1950, that accompanied the loan of many of J. Lionberger Davis's prints to the Museum [SLAM document files]. These were subsequently acquired. Additional documents are noted below.

[1] Rudge stipulated in his will that his print collection should be left undisturbed until the third generation of his descendents. See "A Collection of Etchings by Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn formed by Joseph R. Ritman" [Artemis, 1995]; lists major Rembrandt collectors, including Rudge and the history of his collection.

[2] See the auction catalogue "Catalogue of the Important Collection of Etchings by Old Masters, the Property of John Edward Rudge, Esq.," Christie's, London, December 16 and 17, 1924, lot no. 73. An annotation in this catalogue indicates that the buyer was "Houthakker" [Richardson Memorial Library, Saint Louis Art Museum]. Bernard Houthakker was a Dutch dealer in prints, drawings and books [Lugt 1272]. His collector's stamp does not appear on this print.

[3] Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control of the City Art Museum, March 8, 1951.