The following condition report is provided by Simon Folkes who is an external specialist and not an employee of Sotheby's: Salomon van Ruisdael: A River Estuary Oil on panel. 14 ¼ x 12 ¾ in. 36.2 x 32.5 cm. Support The painting is on a flat oak panel with no additions on the back. However there are narrow wooden battens glued to each of the four sides, presumably to enable as much of the original paint surface as possible to be visible when the painting is in its frame. Paint layers There are no damages of any significance apart from three small losses in the water towards the bottom of the painting and a short line of paint losses along an old split in the panel running up from the bottom edge near the lower right corner. A series of fine vertical lines of abrasion run down from the sky into the water, most noticeably between the sailing boat and the windmill on the right hand side and there are one or two tiny losses and stains in the sky and clouds above. Otherwise the condition of the paint layers is exceptionally good. As the frame opening is bigger than the original painting, the four battens that have been glued to the sides of the panel have all been coloured in to extend Ruysdael's art work to the border with the frame. This is most noticeable down each of the two sides. Varnish coating The painting is covered in a thin and transparent varnish.
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