A characterful portrait of a priest from a noble family of imperial counts, dukes and royal princes. It features an inscription of his deeds to the left ( translation below ) and the Taxis family crest to the right. Original frame. Dated 1701.
Incription reads: Father Bachalarius ( bachelor’s degree ) Victor Augustine de Taxis was once a student and teacher in Rimini and Ancona. Then a prior in Varese, at the age of 33.
The three books on the desk are Prediche – preachings, Sermoni – formal sermons & Panegyrics/Panegyrici ( abbr ) – extolling the virtues of saints and holy figures.
The Tasso family was originally from the province of Bergamo in the 6th century. Tasso is the Italian word for badger, which is the central icon of the family coat of arms, surmount by the imperial eagle. Tasso was gallicized becoming Tassis, then germanised to Taxis. The Taxis family ran a postal service in Europe as early as the sixteenth century and rose in status from baron, to count and finally to prince.
The dukes of Taxis believed they were descended from the Italian patrician family Della Torre, and were granted a name change to della Torre e Tasso ( German von Thurn und Taxis ). The imperial eagle was changed to a tower, keeping the badger in the heart of the shield. The current head of the house of Thurn and Taxis is Albert II, 12th Prince of Thurn and Taxis. The family is one of the wealthiest in Germany.
H 970mm, W 700mm
$5,000.00