Studio of Jusepe de Ribera, called Lo Spagnoletto

Possibly Principe Doria, Rome;
Possibly Altemps collection;
A. Katz, Amsterdam;
Anonymous sale (“From a Private Collection”), New York, Christie’s, 16 April 1986, lot 153 (as Ribera);
There acquired by the present collector.

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 has not been recently restored. The canvas is lined with glue as an adhesive. The lining seems to be successful. There is a structural damage in the background above and to the left of the head, running about 6 inches horizontally. There is another area to the immediate right of the head that shows a fair amount of restoration. This restoration seems to include the hair at the top of the head and some of the shadowed area of the face. If the picture were cleaned, it seems that fairly broad restorations would be revealed in the dark colors of the background and cloak. Retouches have blanched noticeably in the light colors of the figure and the face. It can be seen that these retouches have been applied rather loosely, but it is also evident that the condition is quite respectable in the hands, most of the torso, and in the head except for the right side of the forehead. Whether the picture should be cleaned in its entirety is a matter for further investigation, but the blanched retouches should certainly be removed and replaced more accurately.
"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."

This painting follows the composition of a Saint Andrew in the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire, Narbonne, published by Nicola Spinosa as a copy after a lost original, thought to date after 1630.¹ On the basis of digital images, Spinosa does not exclude the possibility that the present lot may be autograph.

1. N. Spinosa, Ribera, La obra completa, Madrid 2008, p. 517, cat. no. D8.