Master of the Stockholm Pietà

Panel consists of a single plank that is un-cradled and relatively flat. There are no major damages visible to the naked eye. The varnish is clear but appears a little uneven. There appears to have been a small degree of lifting/flaking horizontally, along the grain of the wood that has been retouched. There is also a degree of wear throughout, particularly noticeable in the white fabric of her dress and in the now only very faintly visible details of the Saint's long hair falling over her shoulders. Inspection under ultra violet light reveals extensive repainting through the background as well as a scattering of retouches throughout the figure of the Magdalene. The main concentration of which is a six inch horizontal line through her right arm and chest. Furthermore, there appears to be an older campaign of restoration underneath a cloudy varnish in the flesh of her forearms and hands, and possibly elsewhere. This lot is offered in an elaborately carved and painted gilt wood frame in good 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."

We are grateful to Prof. Francesco Frangi for proposing the attribution to the Master of the Stockholm Pietà, on the basis of a digital image. Federico Zeri was the first to assemble a corpus of works by this artist, so-called after the painting Zeri considered most important – the Pietà in the Nationalmuseum, Stockholm.¹

1. Inv. no. NM 1612; see F. Zeri, 'The Master of the Stockholm Pietà', The Burlington Magazine, vol. XCII, no. 565, April 1950, pp. 108–11, reproduced p. 110, fig. 20.