Italian School, 17th Century

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 has been lined using wax as an adhesive. Although the paint layer is stable, the surface could certainly be improved if this easily reversible lining were to be removed. The restoration has not been very well applied and the picture would look much better of it were to be reexamined. Under ultraviolet light, it is hard to positively identify all or many of the restorations. The eyes of the Saint and his right cheek, the eyes of the man directly behind the Saint and the youth on the right have received restoration. The mouth and beard of the figure in the upper left has also been restored. This figure's hand has some heavy handed restoration. There are restorations in all of the hands in the lower half of the composition, most of which are visible to the naked eye. There is a reasonable amount of thinness throughout the work in the darker colors. There is a vertical break in the upper chest of Saint Peter which is slightly raised because of the weak lining. With careful restoration this picture will be transformed.
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