LOT DETAILS

Materials:

oil on panel

Size Notes:

unframed: 159.1 x 123.2 cm.; 62? x 48½ in. The panel is uncradled but has 3 vertical battons affixed to the reverse. It also has butterfly battons supporting a horizontal split across the middle and further butterfly battons along the left and right margins. The paint surface is relatively dirty with a slightly discoloured and uneven varnish. The aforementioned horizontal split is visible from the front with associated retourching and there is a further horizontal split above centre which is only visible under raking light save for the left and right sections (each approx 15cm) which are more visible. There's a vertical scratch in the figures on the right approximately 10cm long. The blue of the Madonna's robe and red of St John's drapery appear slightly worn. Inspection under ultraviolet light confirms the aforementioned retouchings along the splits and slightly worn draperies. There is also retouching scattered through the Magdalen's draperies as well as further small and scattered retouchings through the rest of the composition. The painting is in overall fairly good condition for a panel of this size.

Edition:

Florence circa 1740 - circa 1795

Description:

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Markings:

signed, dated and inscribed lower left: EX. ARCHETYPO. INSI: RAPHA: MENGS. / QUOD. IN. CHARTA. DELINEATUM. EXSTAT. IN. PINACOTHECA. ILL.MI MAR.VI / RINUCCINI. Ioseph. Anto. Fabrini. Humilis. Discipulus pinxit. MDCCLXXXII.

Condition:

unframed: 159.1 x 123.2 cm.; 62? x 48½ in. The panel is uncradled but has 3 vertical battons affixed to the reverse. It also has butterfly battons supporting a horizontal split across the middle and further butterfly battons along the left and right margins. The paint surface is relatively dirty with a slightly discoloured and uneven varnish. The aforementioned horizontal split is visible from the front with associated retourching and there is a further horizontal split above centre which is only visible under raking light save for the left and right sections (each approx 15cm) which are more visible. There's a vertical scratch in the figures on the right approximately 10cm long. The blue of the Madonna's robe and red of St John's drapery appear slightly worn. Inspection under ultraviolet light confirms the aforementioned retouchings along the splits and slightly worn draperies. There is also retouching scattered through the Magdalen's draperies as well as further small and scattered retouchings through the rest of the composition. The painting is in overall fairly good condition for a panel of this size.

Literature:

Gazetta Toscana, 1782, p. 106; F. Borroni Salvadori, 'Memoralisti e diaristi a Firenze nel periodo leopoldino 1765-1790. Spigolature d'arte e di costume', in Annali della Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, Classe Lettere e Filosofia, Serie III, vol. IX/3, 1979, p. 1248; S. Roettgen, Anton Raphael Mengs, 1728-1779, and his British patrons, exh. cat., London 1993, pp. 30 and 41, note 94, reproduced in colour p. 37, fig. 26; S. Roettgen, Anton Raphael Mengs 1728-1779. Das malerische und zeichnerische Werk, München 1999, vol. I, p. 98, under no. 59, copy WK 1.

Provenance:

George Clavering Nassau (1738-90), Lord Fordwich, later 3rd Earl of Cowper, 1782 (his inventory, 1790); Anonymous sale, London, Sotheby's, 8 July 1987, lot 320; Anonymous sale, Milan, Semenzato, 11 April 1991, lot 9; Sordi collection, Villa Medicea di Lappeggi (Bagno a Ripoli); Private collection, Florence; Anonymous sale, Florence, Pandolfini, 15 October 2013, lot 158; Where acquired.