Corrado Giaquinto

Private collection, Italy.

The canvas is unlined and has been recently cleaned and the paint surface is in good order with much of the impasto intact. There is a degree of old, well executed restoration, centred on scattered losses throughout, a vertical 10 cm tear in the upper left, an oblique 17 cm old repaired tear to the right of God's left hand, a 10 cm tear to the right of the Virgin, and a large area of repair 22 by 18 cm in the lower right next to St Nicholas. These damages have been patched on the reverse. The upper right hand corner has been repainted. This restoration has been expertly executed, is not obtrusive, and the picture will not require any further restoration.
"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."

The painting is a modello for part of Giaquinto's fresco executed very early in his career in 1731 for the cupola of the church of San Nicola dei Lorenesi in Rome. The artist had moved to the Eternal City in 1723, where he trained in the studio of Sebastiano Conca, and the commission for San Nicola marked his debut as an independent artist in Rome.

Numerous differences can be found between the modello and the finished fresco: in the fresco a figure is added between the angel lower left and the two putti below God the Father; two additional putti are included either side of Jesus; the figure alluded to lower centre in the modello, to the left of San Filippo Neri, becomes considerably more prominent in the fresco and is shown enveloped by orange robes.

We are grateful to Professor Riccardo Lattuada for endorsing the attribution after first-hand inspection. A copy of Professor Lattuada's expertise accompanies this lot.