Mattia Preti, called il Calabrese (Taverna 1613-1699 Malta) The Feast of Absalom oil on canvas 116.8 x 168.2cm (46 x 66 1/4in). Footnotes: Provenance Sale, Sotheby's, New York, 25 March 1982, lot 83 (as 'Attributed to Preti') With Piero Corsini Inc., New York Dr. Carlo Croce, Philadelphia Sale, Christie's, New York, 14 January 1993, lot 164 (sold $49,500) Sale, Christie's, London, 25 April 2001, lot 109 Literature M. Laskin and M. Pantazzi, Catalogue of the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, 1987, vol. I, pp. 232-3 M. Marini 'Mattia Preti, la sua visione e i suoi seguaci', in Mattia Preti, Rome, 1989, pp. 146 and 157, note 12 J. T. Spike, Mattia Preti, Catalogue Raisonné of the Paintings, Florence, 1999, p. 367, no. 305, ill. p. 368 Exhibited Northampton, Smith College Museum of Art, Baroque Painters in Italy, 17 November 1989- 8 February 1990 (no catalogue) Wilmington, Delaware Art Museum, Mostly Baroque: Italian Paintings and Drawings from the Carlo Croce Collection, 24 April- 14 June 1992 (no catalogue) The present composition which John Spike regarded as an important early work from the mid 1630s would appear to be the artist's earliest known treatment of a subject that he painted later in two famous works now in the Museo di Capodimonte, Naples, and the National Gallery of Canada. The subject is taken from Samuel, XIII: v. 28, which describes how Absalom, son of King David, sought revenge on his half-brother Amnon, for the rape of his sister Tamar. The prince invited the unsuspecting Amnon to a banquet and after lulling him with wine and food, signalled his assassins to murder him. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP TP Lots denoted with a 'TP' will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com