Follower of Andrea Mantegna

P. Paolini, Rome, before 1924;
Their sale, New York, American Art Association, 10-11 December 1924, lot 45 (as Mantegna);
Bruno Canto, Milan, by 1945;
Bellesi collection, London;
In the present collection since at least 1963.

The following condition report has been provided by Karen Thomas of Thomas Art Conservation LLC., 336 West 37th Street, Suite 830, New York, NY 10018, 212-564-4024, info@thomasartconservation.com, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's.This picture presents well, with a wide range of colors and a high quality restoration. Thestrong fluorescence of the aged natural resin varnish makes confirming the presence ofrestoration under ultraviolet illumination difficult, especially given the caliber of therestoration. The style of details in the baby's face suggest some degree of retouching.Retouching also appears to have been applied to address wear in the torso and violin of theangel on the right, to reinforce modeling in the flesh passages, and to address wear in theupper portions of the blue sky. It is likely the red shadows in Mary's dress are strengthenedwith restoration glazes. A moderately discolored varnish coats the surface. The wood panelsupport has been thinned and a cradle attached to the reverse. Old cracks in the surface rundiagonal to the grain.
"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 monumental figures in this composition and the manner in which they fill the picture plane is clearly derived from the work of Andrea Mantegna.  While no prototype by the artist is known, the Christ Child and musical putti can be compared the figures in Mantegna's Holy Family in the National Gallery, London (inv. no. NG5641) and the Madonna is similar to that in his Holy Family with a Saint belonging to the Museo di Castelvecchio, Verona (inv. no. 855-1B0087).