Linked Conservation Data Example

In 2007 the Raphael Research Resource project began to examine how complex conservation, scientific and art historical research could be combined in a flexible digital form. Exploring the presentation of interrelated high resolution images and text, along with how the data could be stored in relation to an event driven ontology in the form of RDF triples. In addition to the main user interface the data stored within the system is now also accessible in the the form of open linkable data combined with a SPARQL end-point at https://rdf.ng-london.org.uk/rrr/sparql.

This example will introduce the information which is currently available within this resource and some of the web-base tools that have been developed to disseminate it.

This process will be based on but not necessarily limited too:

How to perform basic SPARQL queries.
Using PHP to collect and format the results of basic SPARQL queries.
Using existing IIPImage javascript libraries to present high resolution images.
Using PHP and HTML to combine the formatted results and images into simple web-pages.

This example is intended as a basic introduction to these particular resources and some of the techniques currently being used to exploit them. The resources will remain publicly available for those who wish to continue to work with them. However, this system should be considered as experimental and may be subject to periods of down time. An archive of the code used to create this example presentation can be found here.

More recently (2019) this example was refreshed as part of the work carried out in relation to the AHRC funded Linked Conservation Data project.

Simple display example: Find details for a given digital text

M. Hofmann, ‘The Provenance of the Altarpiece of San Fiorenzo in Perugia. Part II: The Separated Main Panel (NG1171)’, The Mellon Digital Documentation Project, 2008.

Erroneously assumed to have been bought in 1764 by Gavin Hamilton on behalf of Lord Robert Spencer

‘Blenheim. [...] Raphael. The altar piece from the church of St. Fiorenzo, at Perugia. […] The picture is in excellent preservation. An attempt to clean it has been made at the lower part [one foot of Saint John]; but, fortunately, proceeded no further. It is well known that Raphael painted this picture for the heirs of Filipo di Simone Ansidei, who had bequeathed a considerable sum for the erection of a chapel. Gavino Hamilton purchased it for Lord Robert Spencer, in 1764; and a copy by Nic. Monti was substituted, which still exists in the church of St. Fiorenzo. Lord Spencer afterwards presented the original to his brother, the Duke of Marlborough. […].’ @en

‘Blenheim. […] Raphael. Das Altarblatt aus der Servitenkirche St. Fiorenzo zu Perugia. [...] Das Gemälde ist von vortrefflicher Erhaltung, und nur an dem einen Fuss des Johannes wurde ein Versuch gemacht, es zu waschen; glücklicherweise liefs man sogleich davon ab. Bekanntlich malte Raphael dieses Bild für die Erben des Filippo die Simone Ansidei, welcher zur Errichtung einer Kapelle eine bedeutende Summe hinterlassen hatte. Erst 1764 erstand Gavino Hamilton das Bild für Lord Robert Spencer und liess von Nic. Monti eine Copie für die Kirche machen, die sich noch in St. Fiorenzo befindet. Lord Spencer schenkte nachmals das Original an den Herzog von Marlborough, der es nun in Blenheim aufbewahrt. […].’ @de

Passavant 1833, pp. 173-4; Passvant 1836, II, pp. 2-4 (translation) (see also Passavant 1839, I, p. 88 and 1839, II, p. 44; Waagen 1854, III, p. 128; Scharf 1862, p. 40) @en

Rome, Colin Morison (b. 1732, d. 1810), antiquary and art dealer, 1768

Bought (directly from the Servite friars of San Fiorenzo) in Perugia in 1768

‘Mr. Morison sold a picture of Raphael lately to Lord Robert Spencer for a thousand pounds wh. tho a true picture of the master yet I may savely acertain that it is not worth one figure onely of this picture of Leonardo’. @en

Letter from Gavin Hamilton to Margaret Georgiana, Countess Spencer, of 3rd December 1768, London, British Library, Add. 75686 (see also Cassidy 2008, pp. 672-5) @en

London, Lord Robert Spencer (b. 1747, d. 1831), 1768

Bought in London in 1768 for £1000

Letter from Gavin Hamilton to Margaret Georgiana, Countess Spencer, of 3rd December 1768, London, British Library, Add. 75686 (see also Cassidy 2008, pp. 672-5) @en

Guide to Blenheim, recording the purchase of the altarpiece as 1768

‘The Bow Window Room. Over the chimney is a capital original picture of the Virgin and Child, St. John and St. Nicholas, – by Raphael. This picture was brought over by the Right Hon. Lord Robert Spencer to his brother the Duke of Marlborough, having been purchased by him in 1768, from the Cappela degli Ansidei at Perugia.’ @en

New Oxford guide [1778], p. 99 @en

Oxfordshire, Palace of Blenheim, Dukes of Marlborough, before 1831

Lord Robert Spencer (who died in 1831) presented the main panel (retaining the predella) to his brother the 4th Duke of Marlborough @en

Described by Crowe and Cavalcaselle in their two-volume book on Raphael of 1882-5

Crowe and Cavalcaselle 1882, I, pp. 222-7 @en

Described by Johann David Passavant in his Kunstreise durch England und Belgien of 1833

Passavant 1833, pp. 173-4; Passavant 1836, II, pp. 2-4 (translation) @en

Described by Johann David Passavant in his Rafael von Urbino und sein Vater Giovanni Santi of 1839

‘Raphael painted this altarpiece for the Chapel of St. Nicholas of Bari in the church S. Fiorenzo at Perugia which belonged to the Ansidei family, and for its decoration Filippo di Simone Ansidei, who died in 1490, left a considerable bequest. Lord Robert Spencer bought the picture for a considerable price in the year 1764 through Gavin Hamilton and against a copy by Nicolo Monti which is still situated in the church. The lord presented it later to his brother, the Duke of Marlborough, who keeps it in the gallery in Blenheim palace.’ @en

‘Rafael malte diese Altartafel für die Capelle S-Nicolo di Bari in der Kirche S. Fiorenzo zu Perugia, welche der Familie Ansidei gehört und zu deren Ausschmückung der im Jahr 1490 verstorbene Filippo di Simone Ansidei ein bedeutendes Vermächtniss hinterlassen hatte. Durch Galvino Hamilton erstand im Jahr 1764 Lord Robert Spencer das Bild für einen bedeutenden Preis und gegen eine von Nicolo Monti verfertigte Copie, die sich noch in der Kirche befindet. Der Lord schenkte es nachmals seinem Bruder, dem Herzog von Marlborough, der es in der Gallerie im Palast Blenheim aufbewahrt.’ @de

Passavant 1839, II, no. 32 @en

French translation of Johann David Passavant’s Rafael von Urbino und sein Vater Giovanni Santi (Raphaël d’Urbin et son Père Giovanni Santi) of 1860, corrected and augmented by the author:

‘Madone de la famille Ansidei (1505). […] Raphaël peignit ce tableau d’autel pour la chapelle de saint Nicolas de Bari, dans l’église S. Fiorenzo, à Pérouse ; chapelle qui appartient à la famille Ansidei, et pour la décoration de laquelle Filippo di Simone Ansidei, mort en 1490, laissa un legs considérable. Par l’entremise de Galvino Hamilton, ce beau tableau fut acheté, en 1764, par lord Robert Spencer pour une somme considérable, et en échange d’une copie faite par Nicolas Monti, laquelle est encore dans l’église. Le noble lord donna plus tard ce tableau à son frère le duc de Marlborough ; il est encore aujourd’hui conservé à Blenheim Palace.’ @fr

‘The Madonna of the Ansidei Family (1505). […] Raphael painted this altarpiece for the chapel of Saint Nicholas of Bari in the church S. Fiorenzo at Perugia; a chapel which belongs to the Ansidei family, and for the decoration of it Filippo di Simone Ansidei, deceased in 1490, left a considerable bequest. By the intervention of Gavin Hamilton, this beautiful painting was bought in 1764 by Lord Robert Spencer for a considerable sum and in exchange for a copy made by Nicolas Monti which is still at the church. The noble Lord gave the painting later to his brother the Duke of Marlborough; today it is still preserved at Blenheim Palace.’ @en

Passavant 1860, II, no. 26 @en

English translation of Johann David Passavant’s Rafael von Urbino und sein Vater Giovanni Santi (Raphael of Urbino and his Father Giovanni Santi) of 1872, abridged version with references to the French edition of 1860

‘The Madonna of the Ansidei Family (1505). […] This altar-piece was originally painted for the chapel of St. Nicholas of Bari in S. Fiorenzo, at Perugia, but it was sold to Lord Spencer in 1764, and by him presented to his brother, the Duke of Marlborough, in whose palace at Blenheim it still remains. […].’ @en

Passavant 1872, no. 26 @en

Described by Gustav Friedrich Waagen in his Treasures of Art in Great Britain of 1854

‘[Blenheim Palace] This picture, which Raphael, according to Vasari, painted, after his first residence in Florence, for the family chapel of the Ansidei, in the church of the Serviti, or S. Fiorenzo, at Perugia, is a highly important work […]. Till the year 1764 this picture remained in the church of S. Fiorenzo. At that time it was purchased by Mr. Gavin Hamiliton for Lord Spencer, who subsequently presented it to the Duke of Marlborough.’ @en

Waagen 1854, III, pp. 127-8 @en

Described by Gustav Friedrich Waagen in his Über den künstlerischen Bildungsgang Rafael’s und seine vornehmsten Werke of 1859

‘In the second painting [Ansidei Madonna], also referred to in 1505, [...]. In the year 1764 Gavin Hamilton bought it from this church in Perugia for Lord Robert Spencer, who gave it later to his brother, the Duke of Marlborough. Since then it has been at the seat of this family, at Blenheim Palace.’ @en

‘In dem zweiten Bild [Ansidei Madonna], ebenfalls mit 1505 bezeichnet, […]. Im Jahr 1764 von Gavin Hamilton aus jener Kirche in Perugia für Lord Robert Spencer gekauft, schenkte es dieser später seinem Bruder, dem Herzog von Marlborough. Seitdem befindet es sich auf dem Landsitz dieser Familie, dem Schloß Blenheim.’ @de

Waagen 1859, pp. 272-3 @en

Bought by the National Gallery, London, from the 8th Duke of Marlborough for £70,000 with a special Parliament Grant in 1885

Simplified PHP Code

<?php

require_once ("header.php");
setGlobals();
echo htmlHeader ();

$r = getTextDetails("rri:Hofmann_Provenance_2008_NG1171_Part_II");
echo "<table class=\"qtext\"><tr><td><font class=\"about\">".
  lit2html($r["title"]["value"])."</font><hr /></td></tr>";
    
foreach ($r["children"] as $key => $ar)
  {displayChildText ($ar, 0);}
      
echo "</table>";

?>

This site was developed by: Joseph Padfield, The National Gallery Scientific Department.