The crossing of the Red Sea, oil on canvas, 124 x 174 cm, framed

Provenance:
Florence, coll. Carlo de’Medici (?)
Florence, coll. Gerini (before 1759).

Literature:
Raccolta di ottanta stampe rappresentante i quadri più scelti de’ Signori Marchesi Gerini, Florence 1759, plate XXXVIII;
Catalogo e stima dei quadri e bronzi esistenti nella galleria del Sig. Marchese Giovanni Gerini a Firenze, Florence 1825, no. 305;
L. Trezzani, ‘Quadri romani in una raccolta fiorentina: dipinti inediti dalla collezione Gerini’, in Paragone, 54, 2003, 3, 47/48, pp. 162-164, note 19; ill.22;
M.T. Di Dedda, ‘Ultime novità sulla dispersione della collezione Gerini’, in Storia dell’arte, N.p. 25/26=125/126.2010, p. 169, note 47.

Reproduced as Giuseppe Zocchi 1759 in Raccolta di ottanta stampe rappresentante i quadri più scelti de’ Signori Marchesi Gerini, Florence 1759, plate XXXVIII. (F. Balducci, Raccolta di ottanta stampe rappresentante i quadri piu scelti de’ Signori Marchesi Gerini, plate XXXVIII).

According to Trezzani, this painting is the one that Baldinucci mentioned entitled Il passaggio del popolo nel Mar Rosso colla Sommersione del Faraone, executed by Borgognone for Cardinal Carlo de’Medici directly after undertaking the decoration of the Chapel of Congregatione Primaria, which dates it to after 1658 (Rome, Collegio Romano). Even before the death of Carlo de’Medici, it was acquired by the Marquis Carlo Gerini for his collection. Carlo Gerini (1616-1673) was closely associated with the Cardinal, being employed as his gentiluomo di camera and cavallerizzo maggiore. His taste as a collector was strongly influenced by that of the Grand-ducal family.