Description
During the years 1627 and 1628, Charles I of England purchased the cream of the Gonzaga art collection, belonging to the dukes of Mantua, in what would become the greatest art deal of the 17th century. Among the treasures sold were ancient statues and stunning paintings by Titian, Raphael, Correggio, and Rubens. This book examines this fascinating and significant art sale from the perspective of the man who orchestrated it-Daniel Nijs (1572-1647), a Flemish merchant, collector, and dealer living in Venice. Christina M. Anderson brings Nijs to life, asserting that he was more than the avaricious and unscrupulous trader that most modern writers and scholars deem him to be. Anderson's evocative text describes Nijs's unique talent as a dealer, rooted in superior commercial skills, connections to artistic and diplomatic circles, and a deep love of art. The narrative reveals that Nijs was ultimately the pivotal figure involved with the Gonzaga sale, though also-when he later fell into bankruptcy and dishonor due to a deal gone awry-the most tragic.
About the Author
Reviews
One of Christie's 11 best art books of 2015; 'It's rare for a work of scholarship to lay bare an entire episode from the history of art, let alone an important one, but that is what Christina M. Anderson achieves in The Flemish Merchant of Venice, her spry, at times thriller-like retelling of the Gonzaga sale, in which the ducal family of Mantua sold works by Titian, Raphael, Caravaggio, among others, to the court of Charles I.'--Leo Robson; 'This biography of Daniel Nijs, the man who made King Charles I's greatest art purchase possible, reads almost like a Hogarthian moral tale... Anderson has produced a more rounded picture of a dealer, connoisseur, go-between and deviser of visionary schemes.'--James Yorke, Art Newspaper.
Book Information
ISBN 9780300209686
Author Christina Anderson
Format Hardback
Page Count 256
Imprint Yale University Press
Publisher Yale University Press
Weight(grams) 862g
About the Author
Christina M. Anderson is a British Academy postdoctoral fellow in the history faculty at the University of Oxford and the research fellow in the study of collecting at the Ashmolean Museum.
Reviews
One of Christie's 11 best art books of 2015; 'It's rare for a work of scholarship to lay bare an entire episode from the history of art, let alone an important one, but that is what Christina M. Anderson achieves in The Flemish Merchant of Venice, her spry, at times thriller-like retelling of the Gonzaga sale, in which the ducal family of Mantua sold works by Titian, Raphael, Caravaggio, among others, to the court of Charles I.'--Leo Robson; 'This biography of Daniel Nijs, the man who made King Charles I's greatest art purchase possible, reads almost like a Hogarthian moral tale... Anderson has produced a more rounded picture of a dealer, connoisseur, go-between and deviser of visionary schemes.'--James Yorke, Art Newspaper.
Book Information
ISBN 9780300209686
Author Christina Anderson
Format Hardback
Page Count 256
Imprint Yale University Press
Publisher Yale University Press
Weight(grams) 862g
