Saint Jerome

El Greco's son, Jorge Manuel Theotocópuli, Toledo, by 1621.[1] possibly in the Convent of San Hermengildo, Madrid, in 1786.[2] Felipe de la Rica of the Montejo family, Madrid, by 1902.[3] Doña Maria de Montejo, Madrid, by 1908.[4] sold after 1926 by the Montejo family to a European art dealer;[5] purchased by (Boehler & Steinmeyer, New York);[6] sold February 1931 to Chester Dale, New York;[7] gift 1943 to NGA. [1] Francisco de Borja de San Román y Fernández, "De la vida del Greco," _Archivo Español de Arte y Arqueologia_ 3 (1927): 82, no. 145: "un San Jerónimo desnudo" ("a nude Saint Jerome"). According to this inventory, the painting measured 2 x 1-1/4 _varas_ (approximately 168 x 106 cm). The present painting is not mentioned by name in the inventory made of the artist's estate in 1614; however, since it was in the possession of El Greco's son in 1621, it seems likely that this painting was one of the "quinze quadros bosquejados" ("fifteen paintings sketched in") mentioned in the inventory of 1614. Francisco de Borja de San Román y Fernández, _El Greco of Toledo_ (Madrid, 1910): 195. [2] The inventory made of the paintings in the convent included a Saint Jerome by El Greco. See El Conde de Polentinos, "El Convento de San Hermengildo, de Madrid," _Boletín de la Sociedad Esoabika de Excursiones_ 41 (1933): 50. According to this inventory, the painting measured "2 varas y media de alto y ancho" ("2-1/2 varas in height and width"). This indicates that the painting was square. However, because the inventory was inaccurate and inconsistent in many places, it is possible that the compilers of the inventory omitted the width and that they intended to refer to the NGA painting, which was 215 cm tall before the added pieces were removed (Peter Murray, letter, 4 May 1964; and Philip Troutman, letter, 28 May 1964; both in the NGA curatorial files). The unfinished state of the painting may account for the relatively low valuation of 600 _reales_ assigned it in the 1786 inventory. For comparison, El Greco's finished portrait of Fray Hortensio Félix Paravicino (now in the MFA, Boston) was valued at 6000 _reales_ in the same inventory. [3] Salvador Viniegra, _Catálogo ilustrado de la exposición de las obras de Domenico Theotocópuli, llamado El Greco_ [exh. cat.], 1902, 27, no. 43. A 10 April 1931 letter from Boehler & Steinmeyer quoted in the painting's entry in the Chester Dale notebook, NGA curatorial files, says that Rica was a member of the Montejo family. [4] Manuel B. Cossío, _El Greco_ (Madrid, 1908): 571, no. 113. [5] August L. Mayer, _Domenico Theotocopuli, El Greco_. (Munich, 1926): 45, no. 281, repro. 45; 10 April 1931 letter from Boehler & Steinmeyer quoted in the Chester Dale notebook, NGA curatorial files. [6] 10 April 1931 letter from Boehler & Steinmeyer quoted in the Chester Dale notebook, NGA curatorial files. [7] 25 February 1931 letter statement of authenticity to Chester Dale from Boehler & Steinmeyer, NGA curatorial files.