Sano di Pietro
Madonna and Child surrounded by Saint John, Saint Bernardino of Siena, and angels
Estimate:
100,000 - 150,000 USD
Property from the William Boyce Thompson Collection
Sano di Pietro
Sano di Pietro
Madonna and Child surrounded by Saint John, Saint Bernardino of Siena, and angels
Madonna and Child surrounded by Saint John, Saint Bernardino of Siena, and angels
Estimate:
100,000 - 150,000 USD
Lot sold:
107,100
USD
Property from the William Boyce Thompson Collection
Sano di Pietro
Siena 1405-1481
Madonna and Child surrounded by Saint John, Saint Bernardino of Siena, and angels
inscribed on the Madonna's halo: AVE.GRATIA PLENA.
tempera and gold ground on panel, unframed
panel: 22 1/2 by 15 7/8 in.; 57.2 by 40.4 cm.
The following condition report has been provided by Matt Hayes of Pietro Edwards Society of Art Conservation, 336 West 37th Street, Suite 1580, New York, NY 10018, 212-457-8956, mh@edwards-society.com, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's.
Many passages of this delicate tempera painting are in remarkably good condition, for
instance the fine brushstrokes of the hair and flesh tones and the sgraffito decoration of the Madonna's
dress. Much of the gilding is likewise well preserved. Discrete lacunae are also evident, the largest in
the right calf of the infant Christ and in the gilding at upper right; a few scattered, more recent losses
are also visible, mostly to later gesso fills in the lower register. There is some wear to the mantle and
to the mordant-gilt decoration. Retouching, present throughout, is discolored and matte. The
varnish has darkened, and the surface gloss is uneven.
The panel appears generally stable, with some old vertical cracks following the wood grain.
The wood has been thinned to about 1 cm and a cradle affixed, likely during the first half of the
twentieth century.
While the picture shows some signs of age, it is well preserved in important parts and has the
potential for vast improvement through careful restoration.
"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."
Signor Giovanni Cresti, Montalcino;
Elia Volpi (1858-1938), Davanzati Palace, Florence;
His sale, New York, American Art Association, 21-27 November 1916, lot 1012;
There acquired by William Boyce Thompson (1869-1930), New York, for $1,000;
Thence by descent.
J.A. Crowe and G.B. Cavalcaselle, A History of Painting in Italy: Umbria, Florence and Siena from the Second to the Sixteenth Century, vol. V, New York 1914, p. 174;
R. van Marle, The Development of the Italian Schools of Painting, vol. IX, The Hague 1927, p. 530;
R. Ferrazza, Palazzo Davanzati e le collezioni di Elia Volpi, 1994, p. 274.
Siena, Palazzo Pubblico, Mostra dell'antica arte senese, April - August 1904, no. 24 (lent by Giovanni Cresti).