This volume is the definitive study of Jacopo Tintoretto’s 16th-century masterpiece, Angel Foretelling the Martyrdom of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. For nearly 30 years, this monumental altarpiece was the crown jewel of David Bowie’s private art collection. Bowie’s connection to the painting was deeply personal; it was one of his earliest major acquisitions, and his admiration for the artist was so profound that he named his record label "The Jones/Tintoretto Entertainment Company" in his honor. This book explores the painting not just as an antique, but as a central inspiration to one of the 20th century’s greatest creative minds.
Accompanying the painting’s historic return to Venice in 2020—its first time in the city since Napoleon demolished its home church in 1807—this book features essays by a "who’s who" of international specialists.
New Discoveries: Using cutting-edge radiography and infrared reflectography, the authors reveal a dramatic, previously unknown drawing beneath the paint layers, offering a rare look into Tintoretto's volatile creative process.
The Lost Church: The book meticulously reconstructs the history of the Church of San Geminiano, the demolished Venetian jewel where the painting hung for 250 years.
From Bowie to the Rubens House: Trace the painting’s journey from the 1818 private sale to Bowie's London home, and finally to its current prestigious loan at the Rubens House in Antwerp.
Published to the high standards of an exhibition monograph, this hardcover volume is richly illustrated with large-scale color plates, detail shots of the "under-drawings," and archival maps of Venice. It serves as both a scholarly record and a beautiful coffee-table piece for those interested in the history of collecting.
Exterior: Like New / Fine. The dust jacket is crisp with bright colors and no shelf wear.
Interior: Pristine. Pages are white, unmarked, and the binding is tight.
Overall: A collector-grade copy of a book that is becoming increasingly difficult to find as Bowie's art-related ephemera continues to rise in value.
Title: David Bowie's Tintoretto: The Lost Church of San Geminiano
Authors: Christina Currie, Xavier F. Salomon, Ben van Beneden, et al.
Format: Hardcover with Dust Jacket
Year: 2020 (First Edition)
Publisher: Hannibal Books / Rubens House