MASTER OF THE CASSONI CAMPANA, IDENTIFIED AS 'GALLO FIORENTINO' | The Crucifixion

The panel is cradled and very slightly bowed, but stable. There is a repaired vertical split running from the centre of the upper margin down to Christ's knees, with associated retouching, and possible further repaired vertical surface splits on the left and right, just visible under raking light. Traces of haloes around each figure's head are also visible in raking light. Inspection under ultraviolet light confirms retouching to the central split, as well as a more concentrated area, 1 by 2 cm., just below Christ's knees. There are also scattered retouchings in the cloaks of Mary and John, in the background, and around the forms of the haloes. There is a horizontal line of retouching along the upper margin. None of these detract from the legibility of the image, and the painting is in overall fair 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."

The author of this work has been identified as the artist Antonio di Jacopo Gallo, called 'Gallo Fiorentino', a French painter active in Florence between 1503 and 1527, working in the wake of Domenico Ghirlandaio and Filippino Lippi. His body of work was initially drawn together independently by Everett Fahy, around a Madonna and Child with Saints Martin and Sebastian in the Museo d'Arte Sacra in Tavernelle Val di Pesa,¹ and by Federico Zeri, who grouped his œuvre around the extraordinary cassoni now in the Musée de Petit Palais, Avignon, formerly in the Campana collection.²  Here, Saint John's large and rather widely-set eyes, his and Christ's rounded foreheads, and the idea of setting the Madonna in profile, are characteristic features of the master's style, which may be compared with the Madonna and Child enthroned with Saints in the Chiesa di S. Lucia, Montebicchieri, San Miniato,³ or the San Augustus with Saint Rock and Sebastian, sold at the Dorotheum, Vienna, 17 October 2012, lot 518.

We are grateful to Dottoressa Nicoletta Pons for endorsing the attribution to the master, on the basis of a digital image.

1 E. Fahy, 'Master of Tavernelle', in Some Followers of Domenico Ghirlandajo, doctoral diss., Harvard University 1968, pp. 200–02.
2 F. Zeri, 'Una congiunzione tra Firenze e Francia: il Maestro dei cassoni Campana', in Diari di lavoro 2, Turin 1976, pp. 75–88.
3 See Zeri 1976, p. 85, reproduced fig. 88.