After Tiziano Vecellio, called Titian

The Dashwood Family (according to a label on the reverse);
Anonymous sale ('Property from a Private Collection'), London, Sotheby's Olympia, 9 December 2003, lot 370.

The canvas has an old and effective relining that has not flattened the paint surface. There are no visible damages, and the varnish is slightly patchy and discoloured. Inspection under UV light reveals only very few minor restored knocks and one hairline tear running vertically from the upper margin, about 5 inches in length, about 1/3 of the canvas from the right edge. The figures themselves are virtually untouched. The painting has had remarkable little restoration work for a canvas of this size, it is in excellent condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

A late eighteenth or early nineteenth-century copy after the original by Titian in the Gallerie degli Uffizi, Florence (see H. Wethey, The Complete Paintings of Titian, London 1971, 3 vols, vol. III, The Mythological and Historical Paintings, London 1975, pp. 203–04, cat. no. 54, reproduced plates 72 and 73).