This painting commemorates the 24 February 1525 military engagement between the armies of the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, and the King of France, Francis I. The Battle of Pavia represented one of many between 1521 and 1529 that sought to resolve the issue of control over the Lombardy region in northern Italy, a strategic communication point between Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands. The imperial army is depicted at the lower left; the soon-to-be defeated French are identified by their flag, white lilies on a blue field.
- Titles Battle of Pavia (Proper)
- Medium oil on panel
- Dimensions 45 9/16 × 68 11/16 in. (115.8 × 174.4 cm) frame: 57 × 79 1/2 × 4 in. (144.8 × 201.9 × 10.2 cm)
- Credit Line Gift of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, 1961.125
- Work Type painting
- Classification Paintings
- On View
- Provenance Dom Fernando Alvares de Castro, by 1632, as Dürer; by descent to his grand-nephew, Dom Manoel de Castro; probably by descent to Jean de Castro Penamacor; by descent to Antonia de Saldanha de Albuquerque Castro de Mesquite Lobo de Andread de Ribafria, Lisbon, by 1846 [see note 1]; purchased by Henry Doetsch, London, by about 1885; auctioned by Christie, Manson & Woods, London, June 24, 1895, 66 lot 232; purchased by art dealers P. & D. Colnaghi, London [see note 2]; purchased by Sir Francis Cook (1817-1901), Doughty House, Richmond, Surrey, 1897; by descent to Sir Frederick Lucas Cook (1844-1920), Doughty House, Richmond, Surrey, 1901-1920; by descent to Sir Herbert Frederick Cook (1868-1939), Doughty House, Richmond, Surrey, 1920 at least through 1932 [see note 3]. With Margaret Drey, 1954 [see note 4]. With Rosenberg and Stiebel, New York; purchased by Samuel H. Kress (1863-1955), New York, May 13, 1955 as Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen; on loan to the Birmingham Museum of Art, Alabama, 1959; gift of the Kress Foundation to the Birmingham Museum of Art, Alabama, 1961
1. Athanasius Raczynski, Les Arts en Portugal (Paris: Jules Renouard et Cie, 1846), p. 274-277.
2. According to the Colnaghi archives at the Frick Art Library. See object file.
3. According to the bill of sale dated May 13, 1955 from Rosenberg & Stiebel to the Kress Foundation. See object file.
4. According to a letter dated July 28, 1954 from the archives of the law firm of Monro Fisher Wasbrough, London authorizing the transfer of the painting from F.F.M. Cook to Margaret Drey. See object file.