Circle of Joos van Cleve

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This painting has not been restored for many years, but is very presentable in its attractive frame. The panel is unreinforced and flat, and the paint layer is stable. Under ultraviolet light, a dozen or so tiny spots of retouching are visible in the right side of the face. There are also retouches in a few tiny blemishes in the background, and in a spot or two in the cheek on the left and in the forehead. However, the work is certainly not clean, and it is possible that older retouches may become apparent when it is cleaned. The condition is very good.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

The original design of this Salvator Mundi may ultimatley derive from an example by Quentin Massys, generally dated to circa 1491-1507 (Antwerp, Kooninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten), though van Cleve himself adapted the composition in an autograph picture from circa 1516-18 (Paris, Musée du Louvre, see J. Hand, Joos van Cleve: The Complete Paintings, New Haven and London 2004, cat. no. 13). It remains uncertain whether van Cleve origianlly intended for his Salvator Mundi to be paired with a Virgin in Prayer, as was often the case in early Flemish depictions of Christ as savior of the world, as develped by Robert Campin and Jan van Eyck. Hand argues (Hand 2004, op.cit., p. 49), that the van Cleve probably developed his Salvator Mundi independent work, as were other artists around this moment, including Rogier van der Weyden (Paris, Musée du Louvre) and Hans Memling (Pasadena, Norton Simon Museum). 

As in the Louvre picture, Christ here holds an orb (see fig.1) which is wrapped in an ornate metal band, which divides the world into three distinct sections, meant to represent Europe, Asia and Africa. The artist faithfully repeats the reflection of the window in the orb, a clear reference to the fascination with Realism and the accurate depiction of the natural world. Infrared reflectography of the orb, and Christ's hand reveal loose under drawing, and subtle changes to the finger length and orientation of the hand. Such a thought process indicates that the artist sought to develop a faithful continuation of this compositional type, while also demonstrating an individual skill for naturalistic and refined execution.