St. Paul
- Date
- 1598–1600
- Material
- Oil on canvas
- made in
- Valencia region, Spain, Europe
- Classification
- Paintings
- Collection
- European Art to 1800
- Current Location
- On View, Gallery 236
- Dimensions
- 27 1/2 x 22 in. (69.9 x 55.9 cm)
framed: 37 3/16 x 31 7/8 x 5 1/8 in. (94.5 x 81 x 13 cm) - Credit Line
- Museum Purchase
- Rights
- Public Domain
- Object Number
- 1:1936
NOTES
Distinguished by his sword, the Christian apostle Paul holds a folded paper between the tips of his fingers. Its Greek inscription reads, “To Titus, ordained first Bishop of the Church of the Cretans,” a reference to Paul’s letter to his disciple. El Greco was born on the island of Crete but worked in Venice and Rome before settling in Toledo, Spain, where he produced several paintings of Jesus’s apostles as half-length figures. The legacy of Venetian painting traditions is evident in El Greco’s brilliant, luminous colors and the elongated, quivering proportions of St. Paul.
Provenance
Don Jesús Lacuadra, Valencia, Spain
Don Federico Vañó, Valencia, Spain, acquired from Don Jesús Lacuadra [1]
1913 - 1919
M. Knoedler & Co., New York, NY, and Galerie Trotti & Cie, Paris, France (owned jointly) [2]
1919 - 1936
Mr. and Mrs. J. Horace Harding, New York, NY, purchased from M. Knoedler & Co. [3]
1936 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Mrs. J. Horace Harding, through M. Knoedler & Co. [4]
Notes:
The main source of this provenance are stock books from the M. Knoedler & Co. records [M. Knoedler & Co. records, approximately 1848-1971, The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, Accession no. 2012.M.54]. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[1] According to the 1908 catalogue raisonné by Manuel B. Cossio, the painting belonged to D. Federico Vañó of Sorni, 2, Valencia, Spain. Vañó acquired it from D. Jesús Lacuadra of Quevedo 16, Valencia [Cossio, Manuel B. "El Greco." Madrid: Victoriano Suarez, 1908, cat no. 274, p. 593].
[2] According to Knoedler painting stock book 6, the painting entered M. Knoedler & Co. as stock number 13126 in February 1913. It is listed as being co-owned with Trotti & Cie, Paris [copy, SLAM document files].
[3] The painting sold to J. Horace Harding in January 1919, as noted in Knoedler sales book 11 [copy, SLAM document files]. After J. Horace Harding’s death in 1929, the painting passed by inheritance to his wife, Mrs. J. Horace Harding. In March 1935, the painting was put on commission, number CA799, to Knoedler by Mrs. J. Horace Harding from the Estate of Mr. J. Horace Harding, according to Knoedler commission book 3 [copy, SLAM document files].
[4] Invoice dated January 6, 1936 from M. Knoedler & Co. [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control of the City Art Museum, January 16, 1936.
Don Federico Vañó, Valencia, Spain, acquired from Don Jesús Lacuadra [1]
1913 - 1919
M. Knoedler & Co., New York, NY, and Galerie Trotti & Cie, Paris, France (owned jointly) [2]
1919 - 1936
Mr. and Mrs. J. Horace Harding, New York, NY, purchased from M. Knoedler & Co. [3]
1936 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Mrs. J. Horace Harding, through M. Knoedler & Co. [4]
Notes:
The main source of this provenance are stock books from the M. Knoedler & Co. records [M. Knoedler & Co. records, approximately 1848-1971, The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, Accession no. 2012.M.54]. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[1] According to the 1908 catalogue raisonné by Manuel B. Cossio, the painting belonged to D. Federico Vañó of Sorni, 2, Valencia, Spain. Vañó acquired it from D. Jesús Lacuadra of Quevedo 16, Valencia [Cossio, Manuel B. "El Greco." Madrid: Victoriano Suarez, 1908, cat no. 274, p. 593].
[2] According to Knoedler painting stock book 6, the painting entered M. Knoedler & Co. as stock number 13126 in February 1913. It is listed as being co-owned with Trotti & Cie, Paris [copy, SLAM document files].
[3] The painting sold to J. Horace Harding in January 1919, as noted in Knoedler sales book 11 [copy, SLAM document files]. After J. Horace Harding’s death in 1929, the painting passed by inheritance to his wife, Mrs. J. Horace Harding. In March 1935, the painting was put on commission, number CA799, to Knoedler by Mrs. J. Horace Harding from the Estate of Mr. J. Horace Harding, according to Knoedler commission book 3 [copy, SLAM document files].
[4] Invoice dated January 6, 1936 from M. Knoedler & Co. [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control of the City Art Museum, January 16, 1936.
We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.