Core Record |
| Title |
Columbus and the Egg |
| Alternative Title |
Columbus Proposing his Theory of a New World |
| Original Translation |
Kolumbovo Vejce |
| Collection |
Salford Museum and Art Gallery |
| Artist |
Knupfer, Benes (Czech artist, 1848-1910) |
| Date |
1880 (dated) |
| Signed |
yes |
| Description |
This image represents the incident, related by the Italian historian Belzoni and by Washington Irvine in his History of Ferdinand and Isabella, which occurred at the banquet given in honour of Columbus by Pedro Gonzalez de Mendoza, Grand Cardinal of Spain. A courtier, jealous of the honours bestowed on Columbus asked if there were not others capable of discovering the West Indies. In reply Columbus took a hard-boiled egg and invited the company to make it stand on end. All the company attempted the task in vain, whereupon Columbus struck the egg on the table so as to break the end and allow it to stand, illustrating that when he had shown the way it was easy for others to follow. Knupfer was a Bohemian painter, active in Italy. He studied at the Prague Academy of Fine Arts (1868-70) and in Munich (1870-77), and began his career as an artist by painting history subjects. In 1879 he went to Rome where he settled permanently apart from a few visits elsewhere, mainly to Bohemia. His greatest success was achieved in the 1880s and 1890s as an official painter of the sea and mythological beings. |
| Current Accession Number |
1884-1 |
| Inscription |
front lr 'B.Knupfer 1880' |
| Subject |
History (Columbus and the Egg) |
| Measurements |
99 x 183 cm (estimate) |
| Material |
oil on canvas |
| Acquisition Details |
Given by Alderman James Worrall J.P. 1884. |
| Publications |
Peel Park Museum Collection, Salford, 1909, cat. no. 211. |
| Notes |
Label back c, dated 5 April 1885, reads; 'A valuable painting by Knupfer entitled Columbus Proposing his Theory of a New World, was bought by Mr J. Worral and presented to the Salford Museum to be hung in the Langworth Gallery. Price of picture £350'. There is another version of this work, dated 1875 (illustrated in Anezsky Klaster, Benes Knupfer: 1844-1910, Narodni Galerie v Praze, 1984, cat. no. 179). Artist's notes taken from Prahl, R., 'Knupfer, Benedikt [Benes]', Grove Art Online, Oxford University Press, 17 May 2006, http://www.groveart.com/. |
| Rights Owner |
Salford Museum and Art Gallery |
| Author |
Lisa Howard |
