SIMONE DEL TINTORE | A still life with an owl, butterfly, white lilies, lettuce, pomegranate, onion, lemon, apple and other fruits

Private Collection, Italy.

Canvas is lined. A beautiful image reads well and still keeps some of its impasto, like on the seeds of the pomegranate cut open on the foreground. Some details have sunken in the shadows of the background. Craquelure is most noticeable along the bottom edge, though this is not too distracting. Inspection under UV shows some scattered small spots of retouching on the owl's fur, mostly on the top of his left wing. On the center of the background, above and below the butterfly, are some scattered very thin lines of retouching. The top right quadrant has also some thin scattered lines of retouching, and perhaps an old repair at center, on top of the lettuce. The fruit in the foreground has barely any retouching, aside form a few thin lines on the center and outline of the pomegranate. A few minor abrasions that perhaps were strengthened are scattered along the right edge. Offered in a 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.

Simone del Tintore was an Italian painter that trained at Pietro Paolini's Academy of Painting and Drawing of Lucca where he developed a Caravaggesque naturalism. He is most known for his still life paintings, though he may have also made works with religious subject. The way the pomegranate is cut opened, revealing the juicy, gem-like seeds on the inside with such accuracy and texture is repeated in a lot of his compositions.