French School, 18th Century

Anonymous sale, Paris, Couturier, 11 December 1996, lot 45;
There purchased by M. Ghislain Prouvost, Château du Vert Bois;
His sale, Paris, Sotheby's, 9 December 2005, lot 133;
There acquired by the present owner. 

Oil on canvas with an old lining. The picture surface is in fair condition. There is a web of craquelure over the picture surface. There is scattered inpainting to address previous losses that is matte and visible to the naked eye. There is lifting and some associated losses to the right of the boy's face; in the lower left corner; and to the right of the small dog at lower left. There are additional spots of loss around the cat at left and in the lower left corner. A few scratches in the chair at left. Under UV light, a dark green varnish fluoresces over the entire surface, though there is retouching visible in the lower left corner; around the boy's face and the background to the right; around the boys proper left leg; and around the chair and cat at left.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.