Anton Kern

The canvas has a very old Venetian relining. The paint surface is covered by a yellow varnish. The paint surface is overall in excellent condition, beneath the dirt. It is thick, and there is no missing paint other than minor frame abrasion. Fine details and paint strokes are all intact. There are traces of good quality impasto. Inspection under ultraviolet light does not reveal any restoration. Overall the work is in very good condition. The work is offered in a gilt and red carved frame in excellent 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."

Anton Kern was a Bohemian painter who spent seven years in the studio of Giambattista Pittoni. A second version of this work, signed and dated 1730, once formed part of the Czernin collection in Vienna and is considered an early work, perhaps even Kern's very first painting.¹ We are grateful to Lino Moretti for endorsing the attribution to Kern, on the basis of a photograph.

1. M. Zlatohlávek, Anton Kern 1709-1747, Prague 2009, pp. 78-81, reproduced cat. no. P1