Italian school (XVIII-XIX) - St. Augustine of Hippo

\Artist: Italian school (XVIII-XIX)
Technique: wood\Signature: Not signed\Dimensions: 47_1_37_cm
This interesting painting depicts St. Augustine of Hippo, there are two old wax seals on the back of the panel as well as two old labels, one identifying the Saint as St. Augustine of Aleppo and another stating that the picture belonged to the Bishop John Keily. The Bishop was born in 1854 in Limerick in Ireland and he became an ordained priest in Plymouth in 1877, he became Bishop there in 1911 and passed away in 1928. There is another old inscription on the reverse "Podernone Florentina pinx", likely referring to Il Pordenone. Pordernone was the byname of Giovanni Antonio de’ Sacchis (c. 1484 – 14 January 1539) , an important Italian Mannerist painter. We are not certain about the age of the painting, the panel appears to be much older than the 19th century and is not oak but possibly poplar which was frequently used in Italian 16th century paintings. Augustine of Hippo (13 November 354 – 28 August 430) , also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Africa. His writings influenced the development of Western philosophy and Western Christianity, and he is viewed as one of the most important Church Fathers of the Latin Church in the Patristic Period. His many important works include The City of God, On Christian Doctrine, and Confessions. Provenance: Collection Bishop John Keily, Plymouth Private collection Germany The panel measures ca. 47 by 37,5 cms.