LOT DETAILS
Materials:
tempera grassa on poplar panel
Size Notes:
panel: 27¾ by 18? in.; 70.5 by 46.6 cm.
Description:
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Condition:
framed: 27¼ by 23 in.; 69.2 by 58.4 cm. The following condition report is provided by Henry Gentle who is an external specialist and not an employee of Sotheby's. The Virgin and Child Tempera on panel transferred to a panel with an interleafing canvas, in a modern altarpiece frame. The poplar support, which shows evidence of historic worm damage, appears stable. Horizontal recessed tapering channels, without the tapered battens, are visible. X-ray imaging reveals that there is a layer of fabric under the paint layer. There is a narrow unpainted border to the panel. There is vertical hairline fracture visible to the reverse and a conserved historic repair. The paint layer is stable and secure. A significant reduction of dark shrinkage craquelure and mitigation of the pale ground colour has been undertaken to the background and through the flesh tones of the figures. The painting is quite heavily retouched. The original gold leaf decoration to halos and drapery edging has been augmented. Minor loss through the Madonna's blue cloak has been addressed and hair texture to the figures has been strengthened. Original preserved paint can be seen through the Madonna's red dress, the carnations and some of the flesh tones, and details to the background are intact. The restoration has been well executed.
Literature:
R. Bartoli, Biagio d'Antonio, Milan 1999, p. 240 (under ‘Rejected Attributions’ [‘Opere espunte’]); N. Pons, “L’arte Fiorentina degli anni settanta del Quattrocento alla mostra di Londra,? Arte Cristiana, vol. 88, no. 799 (2000), p. 320, reproduced fig. 3 (as Sellaio in a moment of particular closeness to Biagio d'Antonio); C. Daly, “A New Fragment of the Carmine Altarpiece and Other Works by Jacopo del Sellaio,? Commentari d’arte XX, no. 58/59 (2014), pp. 54, 58 note 12 (as Biagio d'Antonio during his partnership with Sellaio); L.B. Kanter, Leonardo: Discoveries from Verrocchio's Studio, Early Paintings and New Attributions, New Haven 2018, p. 97, p. 101 n. 72, reproduced fig. 76, (as follower of Andrea del Verrocchio[], c. 1480–85).
Provenance:
Sir John Edmond Gray Hill (1839–1914), Mere Hall, Birkenhead, until 1911; His sale et al., London, Christie's, 11 February 1911, lot 133 (as "Cenini"), for £100; Grace Curzon, Marchioness Curzon of Kedleston (1879–1958); Her sale, New York, American Art Association, Anderson Galleries, 22 April 1932, lot 77 (as Cennino Cennini); Therese K. Lownes Noble (1877–1970); By whose Executors sold, New York, Sotheby's, 18 June 1974, lot 108 (as attributed to "Utili") to Sacerdoti; Probably with Edmondo Sacerdoti, Milan; Istituto Bancario San Paolo di Torino, until 1997; Their sale, Milan, Finarte 19 November 1997, lot 134 (as Biagio d'Antonio, probably early 1480s).