The Lyon Master

With Rafael Valls, London, by 1989;
By whom anonymously sold, New York, Sotheby's, January 12, 1989, lot 128 (as Studio of Bernardo Bellotto);
There purchased by a New York private collector;
Thence by descent. 

C. Beddington, "Bernardo Bellotto and his circle in Italy.  Part II: the Lyon Master and Pietro Bellotti," in The Burlington Magazine, Vol. CXLVII, No. 1222, January 2005, p. 20 and note 26.

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 was lined at least 100 years ago and although it may have been cleaned more recently, a fresh cleaning and varnish would be welcome. The picture is painted on the red ground that one sees in the work of 18th century Venetian artists, the painting is actually in very fresh and practically un-retouched condition. There are no structural damages or any real abrasions. Although the paint in the lagoon itself may have darkened slightly over time and some of the red ground may have become slightly more prominent in the lower sky, the condition is extremely fresh. There are a few isolated spots of retouching in the sky, but they are barely visible under ultraviolet light and could be corrected if removed when the picture is cleaned.
"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."

This painting, formerly ascribed to the studio of Bellotto, has more recently been identified by Charles Beddington (see Literature) as a work by the so-called Lyon Master. Beddington has identified a group of works to be by an anonymous but distinctive hand belonging to an artist in Bellotto's circle and who may have worked in his studio. His sobriquet is taken from a work in the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Lyon, The Grand Canal, Looking North from the Palazzo Rezzonico to the Palazzo Balbi that was formerly ascribed to Bellotto and re-attributed by Beddington to this master. A larger version of the present composition appeared at auction in London (Christie's, December 12, 1986, lot 98, as Circle of Bellotto ; see Beddington, op.cit., p. 21, reproduced fig. 14), and has also now been re-assigned to the Lyon Master.