Central Italian School, 16th Century

Private collection, Italy.

The following condition report is provided by Hamish Dewar who is an external specialist and not an employee of Sotheby's: Structural Condition The panel is slightly bowed and has two inserted horizontal batons on the reverse. There are also three vertical lines of differing lengths of later wooden inserts on the reverse, applied presumably to cover cracks in the panel. There is also evidence of slight historic panel degradation on the reverse. Paint Surface The paint surface has very discoloured varnish layers and should respond very well to cleaning. There is evidence on the paint surface of a number of old splits which have been supported by the inserts mentioned above, the most prominent running diagonally through the full length of the panel, just to the right of the Christ Child. This crack is very slightly open. There is another repaired split running up from the lower horizontal framing edge in the lower left of the composition which is approximately 20 cm in length. There is also a very fine vertical hairline crack in the sky running parallel to, and approximately 1 cm in from, the right vertical framing edge. A number of retouchings are visible in natural light having discoloured, most notably retouchings covering the vertical repaired crack in the lower left of the composition. Inspection under ultra-violet light shows scattered retouchings and confirms how discoloured the varnish layers have become. The most significant retouchings identifiable under ultra-violet light include: 1) two small areas in the sky above the Virgin's halo, 2) retouchings on the Virgin's draperies just to the right of the Christ Child. These correspond to the long vertical repaired crack in the panel. 3) Retouchings along the repaired vertical crack in the lower left of the composition and other small scattered retouchings. There is also evidence of earlier inpainting which is more difficult to quantify under ultra-violet including what appear to be retouchings in the fold of the draperies which are undoubtedly larger than is really necessary. There are also some small earlier retouchings on the flesh tones of the Christ Child and there may be other retouchings which are not visible under ultra-violet light which are under the old opaque varnish layers. Summary The painting would therefore appear to be in good condition and should respond well to minor structural consolidation as well as cleaning, restoration and revarnishing. The fine detail of the painting would appear to be well preserved.
"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."

Despite its beauty, this intriguing Renaissance panel depicting the Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine has thus far eluded secure attribution. The high cheek bones of the female figures' graceful physiognomies imply that the work was evidently painted by an artist closely aware of the work of Pietro Perugino, probably in central Italy, but the lively figure of Joseph also pays homage to Filippino Lippi. 

Professor Filippo Todini, who already knew the work from an old black-and-white photograph from the 1930s, believes the work might have been painted by an as-yet unidentified Emilian artist who, like many of his contempories, imitated Perugino's style. Moreover, the influence of Filippino might be the result of the painter seeing his altarpiece of the Mystic Marriage with Saints John the Baptist, Peter, Paul and Sebastian from 1501 in the church of San Domenico in Bologna.¹

We are grateful to Dott.ssa Raffaella Zama, Prof. Daniele Benati, Prof. Filippo Todini and Prof. Andrea De Marchi for their assistance in cataloguing this lot.

1. See P. Zambrano and D. Katz Nelson, Filippino Lippi, Milan 2004, pp. 604–05, cat. no. 62, reproduced in colour p. 379, fig. 297.