University of Virginia Library

THE ANTONIO MORO PORTRAIT

It must be admitted, however, that there is some similarity between the

Munoz picture and the next one in our series, that by Antonio Moro, which has a long and interesting history. Its present owner, Mr. Charles F. Gunther, of Chicago, claims for this portrait that it was painted during the years 1543-1545, when Moro made his first visit to the court of Madrid, and that it is based upon a miniature for which Christopher Columbus himself "undoubtedly sat." The evidence for these assertions seems to be mainly traditional, but it was accepted by Washington Irving, who chose the Moro work for the frontispiece of his "Life and Times of Christopher Columbus," and spoke of it thus:

THE LORENZO LOTTO PORTRAIT OF COLUMBUS, WHICH IS DATED 1512, AND WHICH IS NOW THE PROPERTY OF MR. JAMES ELLSWORTH, OF NEW YORK THE PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS

[Description: grayscale; head and torso portrait, with hourglass, books and parchment ]

TWO SPANISH PORTRAITS OF COLUMBUS: ON THE LEFT, THE PAINTING, IN THE MINISTRY OF MARINE AT MADRID; ON THE RIGHT, THE YANEZ PORTRAIT, IN THE NATIONAL LIBRARY AT MADRID

[Description: grayscale; two head and shoulder portraits, one with beads]

The portrait of Columbus prefaced to the present volume is from a beautiful picture painted by Sir Anthony Moro for Margaret governess of the Netherlands. It was brought, to this country [England] about the year 1590, and has been in possession of one family until very recently, when it was purchased by Mr. Cribb, of King Street, Covent Garden, London.

The characteristics of the mind and features of Columbus are so forcibly depicted in this picture that no doubt can remain but that it is a true and perfect resemblance of the great navigator.

The exclusion of all possible doubt in regard to a matter so difficult of actual proof would appear to be somewhat arbitrary, but Mr. Gunther's picture is a valuable and interesting one.