File:Pretij.jpg

Mattia Preti 'Jacob blessing his grandchildren, Ephraim and Manasseh, in the presence Joseph and their mother Asenath'

This painting was named "The Dying Tobias" by Mattia Preti in a legal proceeding dated May 11, 1935 by Jose Garate Bru, "clerk of the southern court of first instance of this capital (HAVANA, CUBA). The appraiser was listed as Ignacio de Vaga y Raconteur. This painting was one of eight items (seven paintings and one item described as "Sketch of a Cupola" by Antonio Balestra, 1666-1740) These items were presented in court to satisfy a debt of $20,000 owed by Salvatore Buffardi to Severino Marrazos y Andrade. In 1937, all of them were entrusted to my grandfather, Nicolas Meneses, to be taken to the United States for safekeeping. They were packed in four wooden crates and stored in my grandfather's basement until his death in 1968 when they were transferred to my uncle, James Meneses, and stored in his basement. Acccording to our family records, this painting was sold to a Canadian art collector, who then sold to The Whitworth Gallery, Manchester, UK.

If anyone out there can tell me the "Provenance" of the painting before 1935, I would be grateful.  This statement is true to the best of my knowledge from my own Uncle's sworn statements.

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