Provenance

Hope and Julian Edison [1929-2017], St. Louis; gift to the NGA, 2019.

Associated Names

Bibliography

1993

Inscriptions

in plate, in lower margin in cartouche at left: Sic Petri Brugelij / archetijpu Philipp. / Galleus imitabatur (Thus Philips Galle reproduced the prototype by Pieter Bruegel; in plate, in lower margin in cartouche at right: Abrah. Ortelius, / sibi & amicis, / fieri curabat (On behalf of himself and his friends Abraham Ortelius took care of the production); in plate, in lower margin: Gnati regna tui Virgo cum regna petebas / Complebant pectus gaudia quanta tuum? / Quid tibi dulce magis fuerat quam carcere terre / Migrare optati in templa superna poli? / Cumq sacram turbam, fueras cui presidium tu, / Linquebas, nata est que tibi maestitia / Quam mestus quoq, quam letus spectabat eunte / Te, nati atq idem grex tuus ille pius? / Quid magis his gratum, quam te regnare, quid eque / Triste fuit, facie quam caruisse tua? Mestitie letos habitus, vultusque proborum / Artifici monstrat picta tabella manu. (Virgin, when you sought the secure realms of your son, what great joys filled your breast! What would have been sweeter for you than to migrate from the prison of the earth to the lofty temples of the longed-for heavens! And when you left the sacred group whose mentor you had been, what sadness sprang up in you. How sad as well as how joyful was that pious gathering of you and your son as they watched you go. What was a greater joy for them than for you to reign, what greater sadness than to miss your appearances? This picture, created by a skillful hand, shows the happy bearing of sadness on the faces of the just.) [Latin translation from Nadine Orenstein, ed., Pieter Bruegel the Elder: Drawings and Prints. Exhibition catalogue. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2001, p. 258.]; on verso, in graphite at lower left: JIE / B 116

Markings

none