The Demidov collection was a collection of artworks gathered by the Russian industrialist Count Nikolay Nikitich Demidov and considerably expanded by his second son Anatoly Nikolaievich Demidov, 1st Prince of San Donato . It was mainly on show at their Villa San Donato near Florence , in which a private museum of 14 rooms was devoted to them. It was dispersed at sales in Paris in 1863 on 21 February and 3 March 1870 and at the Villa in March 1880.
Sale catalogue, 1880
Paintings
Camille Corot , Orpheus .
Eugène Delacroix , Christopher Columbus and his son at La Rábida , hst. 90,3 x 118 cm, commissioned by Anatole, 1838. Washington, D.C., National Gallery of Art .
Paul Delaroche , The Execution of Lady Jane Grey , acquired by Anatole at the 1834 Paris Salon . National Gallery, London
16th century German school, Portrait of a woman , hsp. 44,2 x 31,7 cm, acquired by Nicolay. Washington, D.C., National Gallery of Art .
François Marius Granet , The Death of Poussin , acquired by Anatole in 1833.
Hans Memling , The chalice of Saint John the Evangelist , hsp. 30,2 x 23 cm, c. 1470– 1475, acquired by Nicolay. Washington, D.C., National Gallery of Art .
Hans Memling, Saint Veronica , hsp. 30,3 x 22,8 cm, c. 1470– 1475, acquired by Nicolay. Washington, D.C., National Gallery of Art .
Rubens , Landscape with milkmaids and cows , c. 1616. Liechtenstein Museum, Vienna .
Gerard Terborch , The Peace of Munster , 1648. National Gallery, London (on long-term loan to Rijksmuseum , Amsterdam).
Diego Velázquez , Philip IV . National Gallery, London .
Jan Vermeer van Delft , The geographer , c. 1668, acquired in 1872 by Paul Pavlovitch Demidov .
Decorative arts
The Demidov Vase
Pierre-Philippe Thomire , The Demidov Vase (1819), in the Empire style , malachite in a gold mount, 171.5m high, commissioned by Nicolay. New York , Metropolitan Museum of Art .[1]
Clodion , Monumental urn , marble, 131,5 x 97,1 cm, 1782, acquired by Anatole. Washington, D.C., National Gallery of Art .
Clodion, Monumental urn , marble, 132 x 97 cm, 1782, acquired by Anatole. Washington, D.C., National Gallery of Art.
Arms and armour, now in the Wallace Collection in London, UK.
The Polish coronation sword Szczerbiec .
Sculptures
Lorenzo Bartolini , La Table aux Amours , also known as the Demidov Table , marble, 137,2 cm x 162,6 cm, commissioned by Anatole in 1845. New York , Metropolitan Museum of Art .
Antonio Canova , Madame Mère , marble.
Monumental vase lapidary work, early 19th century; pedestal and mounts by Pierre-Philippe Thomire, 1819.