Lot 153
  • 153

Antwerp School, circa 1530–40

Estimate
70,000 - 100,000 GBP
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Description

  • A lady leafing through a book, possibly Mary Magdalene
  • oil on oak panel

Provenance

Private collection, Milan;
Thence by descent.

Condition

The following condition report is provided by Hamish Dewar who is an external specialist and not an employee of Sotheby's: Structural Condition The artist's panel is uncradled and there are several small scattered paint losses, most notably near to the right vertical edge of the panel, which have been secured but have not been filled or retouched. There are two very small older losses in the upper left and a near vertical split running up from the lower right corner of the panel which is slightly open. There is a pattern of fine lines of drying craquelure which in areas are slightly raised and brittle. Paint Surface The paint surface has a discoloured and uneven varnish layer and should respond very well to cleaning and revarnishing and I would be confident of a considerable colour change once these discoloured varnish layers have been removed. Inspection under ultra-violet light confirms how discoloured and opaque the varnish layers have become, making it difficult to be certain as to how much retouching might have been applied in the past, and there do appear to be some old retouchings corresponding to the near vertical split in the lower right corner. Only a few very small recent retouchings are identifiable under ultra-violet light. It is encouraging to note that the fine detail of the painting appears to be very well preserved. Summary The painting would therefore appear to be in essentially very good condition and should respond extremely well to cleaning, restoration and revarnishing.
"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."

Catalogue Note

This charming painting, by an as yet unidentified hand, shares some characteristics with the Master of the Female Half-lengths (see for instance The Magdalene, formerly in a private collection, Haarlem);1 the Master of the Parrot; and Cornelis van Cleve. At this period very few images of this type, depicting refined young ladies in interiors, show the sitter meeting our gaze. A date of around 1530–40 seems plausible.

 

1. 54 x 40 cm. M. J. Friedländer, Early Netherlandish Painting, vol. XII, Leiden and Brussels 1975, no. 90, reproduced plate 42.