Acisclo Antonio Palomino de Castro y Velasco

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 was originally painted on two pieces of canvas joined horizontally through the center. The canvas has been lined more recently and while the paint layer is more or less stable, the join is very visible and some cracking has become more raised. The painting is extremely dirty and while cleaning will reveal a brighter paint layer, old restorations will most likely become more apparent and will be removed during cleaning. Under ultraviolet light no restorations are visible, including the restoration which is visibly applied to the canvas join, so some caution should be taken during cleaning. It appears that there is not a lot of retouching although the varnish which has been applied may obscure some restorations. Other than the retouches to the join there is a spot in the upper right edge and the few other obvious losses around the edges. Overall the condition seems to be good and no fear should be adopted in cleaning the painting.
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.

Palomino was one of the most important fresco painters of the Spanish late Baroque period and it is rare that works by the artist come up to auction.  His dramatic style combined elements from the Neapolitan tradition of fresco painting, which he learned from his colleague Luca Giordano, who arrived in Madrid in 1692, with the more conventional and compartmentalized decorative schemes of Spanish mid-17th century painting, which the artist perfected during his early training in Córdoba and then Madrid.  Palomino's three volume treatise on painting, El museo pictórico y escala óptica (1715-24), is an important scholastic achievement and reveals his passion for painting and his admiration and appreciation for other artists, both native and foreign, who were active in Spain.  It is still widely read by academics today.

Most of Palomino's canvas paintings were commissioned by religious orders as altarpieces.  For these altarpieces, the artist often chose to depict The Immaculate Conception, and it is most likely that this painting, still in what appears to be its original frame, was one such commission.  Another similar Immaculate Conception with noticeable differences by Palomino is in the Prado Museum, Madrid, inv. no. 1.026.