Massimo Stanzione

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 work is clearly quite dirty, but also clearly in healthy condition. If and when it is cleaned, old airborne dirt and a yellowed old varnish will be removed, and retouches will become more apparent. In the lighter parts of the picture, in particular, there are small "flyspecks" which have been retouched. While these retouches are not visible under ultraviolet light they are slightly warmer in palette than the surrounding paint and can be seen under close examination with the naked eye. The actual condition of the paint layer is good and if it is properly cleaned some small retouches will be required, but there is no real abrasion or other problem with the condition.
"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."

An autograph version of this painting sold at Christie's Rome in 1993 (30 November, lot 246) and another is noted in Federico Zeri's archive (entry no. 50530).  Zeri lists a third version, given to Giuseppe Marullo, as in the chiesa di San Marta, Naples (entry no. 51249).