Claudio Ridolfi

Pietro Maria Bardi, São Paulo, Brazil, by circa 1940;
From whom purchased 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 painting has an old glue lining. The paint layer is most likely clean but the restoration and varnish leave a lot to be desired. Although the lining is sufficient, the condition and the accuracy of the restoration should be reexamined. The varnish seems to have become chalky in the background in the darker colors and the retouching is very discolored in this lower sky, around the ear of the boy and elsewhere. If the painting were to be cleaned and varnished in a clearer way, the retouches could be more accurately applied. Effectively not a lot of retouches are required and the losses seem to be isolated and not too numerous, with a few spots in the face and ruff and, as has been said, some concentration in the lower sky around the ear of the figure. There is a recent damage in the lower right by the foot. For the most part however, the condition is very respectable and this picture could be easily improved without too much effort.
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.

The young boy in this painting appears to be holding a croquet mallet.  A game which had clear origins in Europe, one theory claims that croquet, orginally called, jeu de mail, was invented by medieval monks in Italy.  By the 11th century the game was frequently played in France, and by 1300 it had reached England.

Pietro Maria Bardi (La Spezia 1900 - 1999 São Paulo, see Provenance) was a journalist, historian and art dealer.  As such, he played a pivotal role in the development of the Brazilian art market.  His greatest contribution to the art world may be his founding of the Museum of Art of São Paulo (MASP), of which he was director for over four decades.  The museum was designed by his wife, the architect Lina Bo, with whom he traveled to Europe with the mission of putting together a permanent collection for the institution.  The present painting was brought to Brazil by Bardi together with works by Francisco Goya, Bernardo Strozzi and others.