Follower of Paolo Caliari, called Paolo Veronese

Ludwig Mond, London;
By whom donated to The Art Gallery of Ontario in 1926, (acc. no. 835 and 836).

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 pair of paintings has not been restored in many years. They are both noticeably dirty. Given the understanding that the heads of both figures are much older than the backgrounds and red gowns, the works can both be safely lightly cleaned. The condition of both heads is actually very good, and the quality of the additions around the edges seems to be acceptable. There is a risk that fully cleaning these pictures would expose differences in color between the original heads and later additions, and the appropriate level of cleaning has yet to be determined. Nonetheless, the condition of the works seems to be very good, despite the later structural changes.
"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."

The style of these Venetian portraits bears a resemblance to the work of Benedetto Caliari, Paolo Veronese's brother, to whom an attribution has been proposed. Upon close inspection, the heads of the sitters in both portraits were cut out in the seventeenth or eighteenth centuries, presumably from a larger group composition, and the canvases extended into their present format.