洛尼戈畫師

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. While the elaborate frame is in good, stable condition, this painting has been exposed to an unfavorable environment resulting in condition issues requiring attention. Despite having suffered losses along the bottom, the botanical groundcover seems to be in a comparatively good state and the skill visible in the pink sgraffito cushion gives sense of original quality of the picture. A split in the panel following the wood grain runs the length of the panel and is located to the left of the Madonna's head and down through the Christ Child's torso. Small losses have occurred along the edges of the split. Large but localized areas of delamination between the ground and paint layers require consolidation. These are, for the most part, adjacent losses of paint in and around the Madonna's blue mantle, where the white ground layer is revealed. Wear in the blue mantle appears to have been covered with an overall toning layer. Generalized rubbing from past cleanings has been addressed with restoration. The most recent restoration campaign is visible under ultraviolet illumination but it is likely the highly fluorescing natural resin varnish conceals further restoration. A cradle has been attached to the reverse of the vertically grained wood panel. This picture is in need of conservation treatment, including repair by a structural panel specialist that could conceivably include removing the cradle. Although cleaning would reveal condition issues now hidden by retouching, the painting is likely to improve aesthetically.
"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."

We are grateful to Andrea De Marchi for proposing an attribution to the Master of Lonigo, based on photographs, and to Mauro Minardi who independently proposed an attribution to the same artist, based on firsthand inspection.  This anonymous master was active in the Venetian terra firma, particularly around Verona, in the first quarter of the 15th century.  His eponymous work is an altarpiece in the cathedral of Lonigo, near Vicenza.