Battesimo di Cristo

c. 1603

on display

Annibale Carracci1560 Bologna – 1609 Rom

Annibale Carracci, with Caravaggio the most innovative painter at the birth of baroque painting, painted the theme (Matthew, III, 13-17) already in 1585 for S. Gregorio in Bologna, with michelangelesque figures. Of particular interest is the comparison with Domenichino's simultaneously created 'Landscape with the Baptism of Christ' (inv. KS 52) with a similar arrangement of Christ and John, seen from the opposite direction.
An old copy of Carracci's Invention, without the tree on the right, is in the Gemäldegalerie Berlin (oil on canvas, 130 x 97 cm).In: Kunsthaus Zürich. Gesamtkatalog der Gemälde und Skulpturen, Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft (ed.), edited by Christian Klemm, Franziska Lentzsch, Gian Casper Bott et al., Ostfildern, Hatje Cantz Verlag, 2007.

Also known as

Taufe Christi The Baptism of Christ Le baptême du Christ

Medium

Oil on copper

Dimensions

image: 52 x 39.5 cm

Inventory number

2004/0010

Credit line

Kunsthaus Zürich, Donated by S. E. Karim Khan, with additional funding by the Holenia Trust in memory of Joseph H. Hirshhorn, 2004

Signature

Inscriptions

Accession year

2004

Provenance

Annibale Carracci (*1560 Bologna, +1609 Rom) (Künstler/-in)
Verbleib unbekannt
o.D. – 10.8.1944, Major Eric A. Knight (*1862, +1944) (Sammler/-in), Wolverly House, Kidderminster: Auction Old Master Pictures, Christie’s London, 03.11.2000, Lot. 65 (https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-1911654?ldp_breadcrumb=back, aufgerufen am 01.07.2025): «Lot. 65: Annibale Carracci: The Baptism of Christ Provenance: Major Eric A. Knight, Wolverly House, near Kidderminster; (+) Christie's, London, 1 December 1944, lot 18 (32 gns. to Boil)»; E-Mail-Korrespondenz Nina Senger (Christie’s), 07.08.2025; Kunsthaus Zürich 2007 (Sammlungskatalog), S. 116.
10.8.1944 – 1.12.1944, Nachlass Major Eric A. Knight, Wolverly House, Kidderminster, ErbeAuction Old Master Pictures, Christie’s London, 03.11.2000, Lot. 65 (https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-1911654?ldp_breadcrumb=back, aufgerufen am 01.07.2025): «Lot. 65: Annibale Carracci: The Baptism of Christ Provenance: Major Eric A. Knight, Wolverly House, near Kidderminster; (+) Christie's, London, 1 December 1944, lot 18 (32 gns. to Boil)»; E-Mail-Korrespondenz Nina Senger (Christie’s), 07.08.2025.
1.12.1944, Christie's London (Auktion), London, Lot 18Wie oben Fussnote 3.
1.12.1944 – o.D., Boil, Kauf, 33 Guinea und 12 SchillingWie oben Fussnote 4.
Verbleib unbekannt
Christina Foyle (*1911 London, +1999)Wie oben Fussnote 3.
Verbleib unbekannt
3.11.2000, Christie's London (Auktion), London, Lot 65Wie oben Fussnote 3.
2000, Unbekannt (Kunsthandel), KaufKunsthaus Zürich 2007 (Sammlungskatalog), S. 116.
2000 – 2004, Karim Khan, ZürichWie oben Fussnote 11; ZKG/KHZ, Inventarbuch Slg; ZKG/KHZ, Werkdokument Slg.
ab 2004, Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft | Kunsthaus Zürich (Museum), Zürich, GeschenkWie oben Fussnote 12.

Provenance category

Literature (provenance)

- Kunsthaus Zürich. Gesamtkatalog der Gemälde und Skulpturen, hrsg. von Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft et al., Sammlungskatalog, Ostfildern: Hatje Cantz, 2007, S. 116.

About the provenance

State of research 28.08.2025 Do you have questions, criticism, suggestions, and further information? Please send us a message to provenienzforschung(at)kunsthaus.ch.

Literature (general)

- Die Meisterwerke, hrsg. von Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft/Christian Klemm, Sammlungskatalog Kunsthaus Zürich, Ostfildern: Hatje Cantz, 2007, S. 40 (ill.). - Kunsthaus Zürich. Gesamtkatalog der Gemälde und Skulpturen, hrsg. von Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft et al., Sammlungskatalog, Ostfildern: Hatje Cantz, 2007, S. 116.

Object type

painting

Classification

B 1[3] painting 16th to 18th century ITA, FRA and ESP

Keywords