Domenico Puligo Florence 1492 - 1527

Said to be in the collection of Quincy Adams Shaw, Boston, where acquired in 1845, presumably thence by descent to Francis Shaw, Boston;
With Giovanni Castano, Boston, acquired circa 1942;
From whom acquired by Mr. and Mrs. Byron G. Tosi, Chestnut Hill, Boston in May of 1953, thence by descent to the present owner.

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 heavy panel is actually in very good condition, despite the fact that it is extremely dirty. There is a visible and most likely later addition across the top running approximately one inch deep. There is an old crack to the original wood which runs through the left shoulder of the Madonna, some isolated cracking and small losses have occurred here and there to both figures and very thick yellow varnish covers the entire picture. The paint layer will respond very well to cleaning and some restorations will be required. Whether or not one attempts to save the addition across the top or to simply remove it, is a matter to be considered.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

Of the students of Andrea del Sarto, Domenico Puligo remained closest to his master's own unique form of lyrical classicism, particularly in his religious works.  The present Madonna and Child exemplifies the artist's soft and lightly mannered style, and would have been intended for private devotion or an aristocratic Florentine gallery. Despite his continuation of del Sartian prototypes, Puligo synthesized other influences in his compositions; this is perhaps most true in his Madonnas, where he looked to the example of Raphael amongst others.  The present panel is in fact adapted from Raphael's  Madonna of Foligno (Rome, Pinacoteca Vaticana, inv. 329) which was executed for the high altar of the church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli, Rome, circa 1508/12.  It seems that Puligo would have known the composition from a print made by Marcantonio Raimondi, which was derived from the altarpiece, and in reverse. While few works by Puligo are dated, thus making a firm chronology for the artist impossible, the soft modeling of the composition and the dating of the Raimondi engraving suggest that the present panel is a work of the artist's full maturity, circa 1520. 

An alternate attribution to Andrea Brescianino has also been suggested.