Christian Wilhelm Ernst Dietrich

The actual painting is less red and more ochre in tone than the catalogue illustration suggests. The panel is marouflé, and the new panel is cradled. Three retouched paint losses can be observed in the centre, one can be seen in the lower right corner. Otherwise no damages seem to be apparent. The paint surface is under a very fine layer of dirt and discoloured varnish. It has a fine and dense craquelure pattern, which has some fillings lower centre. Inspection under UV light is largely impeded by the varnish layer, but does reveal minor strengthening, e.g. in the figures, the table, the drapery above the bed and the background. Offered in a plaster gilt wood frame, chips. (ML)
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We are grateful to Professor Dr. Harald Marx of the Gemäldegalerie in Dresden for endorsing our attribution to Dietrich on the basis of a photograph. Marx suggests that this painting is a late work by the artist.