Follower of Leonardo da Vinci

Prince Eugène-Rose de Beauharnais (1781-1824), 1st Duke of Leuchtenberg and adopted son of the Emperor Napoleon, Munich;
Thence by descent to his second son and heir, Maximillian-Eugène Auguste-Joseph-Napoléon de Beauharnais, 2nd Duke of Leuchtenberg (1817-1852), St. Petersburg;
By inheritance to his widow, the Grand-Duchess Marie Nikolayevna (1819-1876), daughter of Czar Nicolas I, Villa Quarto, near Florence;
By descent to her son, Nicolas Maximilianovich, Duke of Leuchtenberg (1843-1891), Munich;
By descent to his eldest son, Nicolas, Duke of Leuchtenberg, St. Petersburg;
With A.B. Nordiska Kompaniet, Stockholm, 1917.

Gemälde Sammlung in München... des Dom Augusto, Herzogs von Leuchtenberg, Munich 1835, p. 8, cat. no. 40, as on panel, engraving reproduced;
Verzeichniss der Bilder Seiner königlichen Hoheit des Prinzen Eugen, Herzogs von Leuchtenberg in München, Munich 1843, p.7, cat. no. 40, as on panel;
J.D. Passavant, Galerie Leuchtenberg, Gemälde-Sammlung seiner kaiserl. Hoheit des Herzogs von Leuchtenberg in München, Frankfurt am Main 1851, p. 7, cat. no. 40, as on panel, engraving reproduced;
J.D. Passavant, The Leuchtenberg Gallery. A Collection of Pictures, London 1852, p. 7, cat. no. 40, engraving reproduced;
Leuchtenbergska Tavel-Sammlingen, Stockholm 1917, p. 29, cat. no.11, as on canvas, reproduced.

The catalogue illustration is too red in tone. The canvas has an old relining which is still sound. The painting has quite recently been cleaned and restored and is in quite good condition overall. There are no major damages or repairs, but the surface has suffered from wear in the past and there has been careful touching out to disguise this in some parts, notably the Madonna's robes and the heads and flesh of the two infants. There are numerous scattered retouchings to the background and trunk of the tree behind, as well as several minor splits along the bottom edge and a filled knot in the original panel in the tree trunk. The restoration has been well carried out and is not obtrusive. The varnish remains clear and even and the painting would probably not benefit from any further intervention. Offered with a plain gilt wood frame in good condition.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

ENGRAVED: J.N. Muxel, 1851.

The pose of the Madonna repeats that of the Virgin in one of Leonardo's most celebrated compositions, the Louvre's Madonna and Child with Saint Anne and a Lamb.¹ Several derivations and copies after the design are known, the most successful of which is Cesare da Sesto's Madonna and Child with a Lamb in the Museo Poldi Pezzoli, Milan.² The spherical design of the embracing Children appears to be otherwise unknown.

The painting enjoys a particularly distinguished provenance having formed part of the Leuchtenberg collection (see Provenance). It was probably acquired by the first Duke in Milan when he was Viceroy of Italy. Upon the second Duke's death the collection was inherited by his widow Grand-Duchess Marie Nikolayevna, daughter of Czar Nicolas I, and subsequently moved to St Petersburg.

1.  See A. Ottino Della Chiesa, L'opera completa di Leonardo, Milan 1967, p. 109, cat. no. 35, reproduced in colour plate LV.
2.  See M. Balboni Brizza et al. (eds), Masterpieces of Painting from the Poldo Pezzoli Museum, Milan 2005, p. 30, reproduced in colour