Attributed to Corrado Giaquinto

Relined and under a dirty, uneven old varnish. thinness is noticeable in the browns of the background, the still life objects at left, and the ledge lower right that her hand is resting on. some thin areas in costume as well. flesh tones are mostly well retained. some loses along extreme left edge. with naked eye, one can see some scattered old filled losses here and there, an old discolored retouch to right breast and upper right arm, and on both hands. ultraviolet light reveals retouches to areas mentioned above; other retouches scattered throughout: in foliage upper left, in her hair, on cheek, an area just below left hand which may be an old repaired tear, on a repaired tear at lower left corner and in background. another L-shaped repaired tear to left of left shoulder. these old retouches and repairs have been crudely done and could be improved. this painting has not been attended to in a long time and would benefit from sensitive restoration. appearance of painting should improve and it will be an attractive and strong image. In a plain brown wood frame.
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This painting relates to Giaquinto's Circe , of circa 1750-52, now in the Pinacoteca Comunale Fortunato Duranti, Montefortino (inv. no. 23).  The exact subject of Giaquinto's picture has long been a matter of speculation.  At one time thought to be Saint Agatha, the figure has more recently been identified as Medea or one of the Sybils, among other suggestions.¹  The present work has slight differences from the Montefortino picture, such as the exclusion of a skull resting on the book at left.

We are grateful to Dr. Nicola Spinosa who, based on an image, believes the present painting present picture to be by Corrado Giaquinto.

1.  See Corrado Giaquinto, Il Cielo e La Terra, exhibition catalogue, Cesena, Palazzo Romagnoli, 2005, p. 230, cat. no. 41.