The Baptism of Clovis
Master of Saint Giles·c. 1500
Historical Context
The Baptism of Clovis by the Master of Saint Giles, painted around 1500, depicts the legendary conversion of the Frankish king to Christianity around 496 AD, a foundational event in French history. The painter set the scene in the interior of the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, rendered with documentary precision that makes this panel an important source for the chapel's medieval appearance. The painting was likely commissioned for a Parisian institution with connections to the French monarchy.
Technical Analysis
The oil on panel reveals extraordinary attention to architectural detail, with the Sainte-Chapelle's Gothic tracery, stained glass, and sculptural program depicted with near-photographic accuracy. The rich, saturated colors and precise handling of light reflect the highest level of Franco-Flemish painting.
Provenance
Chevalier Alexandre de Lestang-Parade, Aix-en-Provenance, by 1823.[1] Count Melchoir de Lestang-Parade, Aix-en-Provence; (sale, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 19-20 May 1882, nos. 105, 106, as anonymous fifteenth century). Baron Etienne Martin de Beurnonville [d. 1881], Paris; (sale, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 21-22 May 1883, nos. 43, 44, as Burgundian School, fifteenth century). M. Watel, Paris, 1883.[2] (Paris art market, by 1937.)[3] (Wildenstein and Co., Paris and New York, 1938-1946;) purchased 1946 by Samuel H. Kress Foundation, New York;[4] gift 1952 by exchange to NGA. [1] [Jean-Baptiste-François Porte], _Aix ancien et moderne, ou Description des Édifices sacres et profanes, Établissements, Monumens[sic] antiques, du moyen âge et modernes, Bibliotèques, Cabinets, Promenades d'Aix, etc., etc...._ (Aix-en-Provence, 1823), 147. [2] According to Alfred de Champeaux, "Deux vues de la Cité de Paris au XVe siècle," _La Chronique des Arts et de la Curiosité_, no. 23 (1883), 187. [3] Max J. Friedländer, "Le Maître de Saint-Gilles," _Gazette des Beaux-Arts_, 6e per. 17 (1937), 223. [4] See The Kress Collection Digital Archive, https://kress.nga.gov/Detail/objects/2088.
