Ramón Bayeu y Subias

With Victor Spark, New York;
Enrique Garcia-Herraiz;
With Trafalgar Galleries, London;
From whom acquired by the present collector in 1990.

New York, Graham Gallery, 110th Anniversary Exhibition 1857-1967, 20 September - 18 October 1967, no. 6;
New York, Spanish Institute, on loan from the Enrique Garcia-Herraiz collection;
Dallas, Meadows Museum of Art, Goya and the Art of His Time, 7 December 1982 - 6 February 1983, no. I.20.

J. Held, Die Genrebilder der Madrider Teppichmanufaktur und die Anfänge Goyas, Berlin 1971, p. 113, cat. no. 110, reproduced;
E. Sullivan, in Goya and the Art of His Time, exhibition catalogue, Dallas 1982, cat. no. I.20, reproduced;
E. Garcia-Herraiz, "El Carton de la Vendedora de Hortalizes de Ramon Bayeu," in Goya, No. 174, May 1983, pp. 371-373, reproduced (as with the participation of Goya).

The canvas is relined. This picture has been restored and could probably be hung in its current state. The majority of retouches are found in the background sky where there are numerous broadly applied retouches. There are retouches found in the female figure's face, cheeks, neck, and chest. Other elements of the painting such as the vegetables in the foreground, the basket lower right, the wooden balance and the background figures are largely devoid of retouches. In a card giltwood frame.
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.

This painting is a cartoon for a tapestry, one of a series that was manufactured by the Royal Tapestry Factory, Madrid, for the Ambassador’s Hall in El Escorial.  Ramon Bayeu’s cartoon is generally dated to 1786 and is based on a sketch by his older brother Francisco Bayeu (1734-1795).  A painting in the Prado, Madrid, by Francisco depicts miniature sketches for thirteen tapestry cartoons, including The Vegetable Seller (Inv. P02599). 

It has been suggested by Enrique Garcia-Herraiz (see Literature) that this painting was possibly a collaboration of Ramon Bayeu and Francisco Goya (1746-1828), his brother-in-law, with whom he sometimes worked.