(Metz circa 1590 – circa 1625 Naples)
A fantastic church interior with figures in the foreground,
dated on the left pillar: 1619,
oil on canvas, 51 x 70 cm, framed

Provenance:
Collection d’Urso, Rome, 1950;
sale, Christie’s, London, 14 April 1978, lot 62 (as Monsù Desiderio);
with Chaucer Fine Arts, London, 1991;
Private collection, France, 2004;
with Jean-François Heim, Paris;
Private European collection;
where acquired by the present owner

Exhibited:
Rome, Galleria dell’Obelisco, Monsù Desiderio, ed. by G. Urbani, Rome 1950, cat. no. 1 (as Monsù Desiderio);
Leicester, The Leicester Museum and Art Gallery, Masterpieces of Reality: French 17th century painting. A loan exhibition from public and private collections in Britain and Ireland, 23 October 1985 – 2 February 1986, cat. no. 3;
Meltz, Musées de la Cour d’Or, Enigma Monsù Desiderio. Un fantastique architecturial au XVIIe siècle, Metz 2004, pp. 142-143 (as Monsù Desiderio)

Literature:
G. Urbani (ed.), Monsù Desiderio, exhibition catalogue, Rome 1950, p. 13, cat. no. 1 (as Monsù Desiderio);
F. Sluys, Didier Barra et François de Nomé dits Monsù Desiderio, Paris 1961, p. 65, cat. no. 26, not illustrated (as Monsù Desiderio);
M. R. Nappi, in: G. C. Ascione (ed.), La pittura napoletana dal Caravaggio a Luca Giordano, exhibition catalogue, Naples 1982, p. 219, not illustrated (as Monsù Desiderio);
C. Wright (ed.), Masterpieces of Reality, exhibition catalogue, Leicester 1985, p. 146 no. 3;
M. R. Nappi, Francois de Nomé e Didier Barra, l’enigma Monsù Desiderio, Milan 1991, pp. 128-130, cat. no. A65 (as Monsù Desiderio);
M. Sary, M. R. Nappi (eds.), Enigma Monsù Desiderio. Un fantastique architectural au XVIIe siècle, exhibition catalogue, Woippy 2004, pp. 142-143 (as Monsù Desiderio)

This painting is among a group of works by Monsù Desiderio with similar characteristics and all executed around the same time. A painting signed and dated 1617 is in a private collection, Milan, another of the same year was in the Capece Minutolo-Miranda collection, Naples, while a third is in the Art Gallery and Museum of Glasgow (inv. no. PC.132); additionally, there is one in the Harrach collection, Vienna, and another in a private collection in Turin (see op. cit. Nappi, 1991, cat. nos. A46, A66, A69, A94, A95).

In these works, the artist’s intention is the representation of a grandiose space of uncertain form, alive with figures. By enhancing the perspective down the nave making the monumental architecture more pronounced, the painter generates an image that seems dilated beyond measure. The architecture seems to derive from monumental models such as the Arch of Constantine in Rome, and the grotesque motifs on the pilaster are taken from the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie at Caponapoli. The stance of the figures are more realistic and inspired by Antwerp school’s painting, such as the one by Hendrick van Steenwyck in the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Brussels (inv. no. 1533).

François de Nomé moves to Rome in 1602 where he trained with Balthasar Lawers (1578-1645), a follower of Paul Bril. He remained in the city until 1610, subsequently he is documented in Naples where he remains until his death. In addition to Paul Bril, François de Nomé’s paintings look to the elaborate architectural compositions of Hans Vredeman de Vries and to theatrical scenes by the engravers Jacques Callot and Giulio Parigi.