Attributed to Nicolás Francés Active in Leon during the 16th Century

Gualino Collection, Turin, by 1938;
Paolo Gucci, Normans, Rusper, West Sussex, his deceased sale on the premises, Phillips, 20 April 1998, lot 371, where acquired by the present owner.

C.R. Post, A History of Spanish Painting, The Catalan School in the Late Middle Ages, vol. VII, part II, appendix, Cambridge (Mass.) 1938, p. 827.

The originals are a little darker than as shown in the catalogue illustration and the gold much brighter as it has recently been regilded. Each painting is constructed of four vertical panels, supported on the reverse by three horizontal batens. All the panels are mostly flat. Each panel has been recently cleaned, restored and revarnished. The varnish layers are clear. All the gold has been crudely regilded and much of the toolwork has disappeared as a result. Stephen disputing with the jews: The blues are largely repainted. A panel join is visible, running vertically through the seated man in red. There is a large restoration to Stephen's cloak, 2cm wide on his chest and 4cm wide at the bottom, and a further restoration to the figure at the back reading. There is a small vertical surface split lower right and further restorations throughout. The stoning of St. Stephen: The blues have been largely repainted. There is some uneveness around stephen's hands, probably due to a knot beneath the surface. There are two vertical surface splits lower right. there is a series of restorations lower left. St. Stephen raising the dead: The blue has been largely repainted. There is a hole lower right. There is some strengthening to the tombs and to the tower at the left, and a surface split above Stephen's head. There is a recent loss to the frame lower right. Worshippers at the shrine of St. Stephen: A join runs vertically just right of centre. There is a series of restored damages in the centre of the composition and on the foremost pillar. There are a few small surface splits at the left hand margin. There is a small restoration on the left tower of the right hand gateway and strengthening to the left hand tower. There is some further strengthening to the lower margin.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

These four panels form part of a set of six works representing scenes from the life of Saint Stephen, formerly in the Gualino Collection, Turin. The two other panels, of present whereabouts unknown, depict The Burial of Saint Stephen, and The Baptism of the Pagan Nobleman Martial.¹  As Post points out, in one of the present scenes Nicolás Francés has misinterpreted The Golden Legend to signify that Saint Stephen returned to the earth after his death to perform the miracle of raising figures from the dead.

Nicolás Francés was active during the early 16th century in León, where his work can still be seen today at the high altar of the city's cathedral. His style reveals the influence of the Italian schools on selective artists working in Castile and León, and is characterised by a predilection for large, Giotto-like figures set within clearly defined architectural settings.

1  The latter is the only known treatment of the subject in Spanish painting: see Post, under Literature, p. 828, fig. 329, reproduced.