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67 - Italian School. 18th century. “The Glory of Saint Francis Xa…

Estimate €15,000 - €22,000
Sale commission
Description
Italian School. 18th century. “The Glory of Saint Francis Xavier, Patron against Storms at Sea” (Water) and “The Apotheosis of Saint Florian, Patron against Fire” (Fire) Pair of oil paintings on canvas. 52 x 72 cm. cada uno. This remarkable pair of paintings faithfully follows engravings by the Klauber brothers from the celebrated Annus Dierum Sanctorum (Lives of the Saints), published in various editions between 1737 and 1742 under Jesuit patronage. The compositions belong to the section dedicated to the Four Elements and form part of a broader didactic programme that emerged in the wake of the Council of Trent, reflecting the Catholic Church’s response to the challenges posed by the Protestant Reformation. In 1737, the brothers Joseph Sebastian Klauber (1700–1768) and Johann Baptist Klauber (1712–1787) founded in the Imperial City of Augsburg a publishing house whose influence rapidly spread throughout Europe and far beyond its borders. Their fame rested not primarily upon the texts they issued, but upon the extraordinary engravings they designed, engraved, printed and distributed. Instantly recognisable for their technical excellence, exuberant Rococo compositions, iconographic sophistication and vast repertory, Klauber engravings supplied the devotional and artistic needs of both European nations and their overseas colonial territories. The first painting is based on a celebrated engraving produced by the Klauber workshop after a design by Johann Wolfgang Baumgartner. It depicts Saint Francis Xavier in Glory, enthroned among clouds as Prince of the Seas and protector of sailors. The saint appears surrounded by angels and cherubs, while scenes illustrating water and mankind’s mastery over this element unfold below, including fountains, rocaille ornaments and maritime vessels. Saint Francis Xavier’s association with the sea derives from his extensive missionary journeys across the Indian and Pacific Oceans. During these voyages he survived numerous storms and shipwrecks, giving rise to his enduring veneration as a protector against tempests and maritime dangers. The second painting represents The Apotheosis of Saint Florian, patron saint against fire. Based once again on a design by Baumgartner, the Klauber brothers translated the composition into one of their finest engravings. Saint Florian appears amidst clouds, angels and cherubs, surrounded by banners, armour and military trophies. Below, groups of figures are shown drawing water in buckets to extinguish a blazing fire visible in the distance, all rendered within the same intricate Rococo setting that characterises its companion piece. Water and Fire, two of the Four Elements, are thus incorporated into this visual meditation on the lives and virtues of the saints. Although the painter remains unidentified, the execution reveals a highly accomplished hand. It is possible that these canvases originally formed part of a larger series representing the Four Elements, of which only the present pair has survived.
About the sale Dialogues with the Past: Vestigia
Auction location
Auction time 07/02/2026 at 7:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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