A barn interior with a maid milking cows, Studio of Gerard ter Borch

Studio of Gerard ter Borch
Zwolle 1617 - 1681 Deventer
A barn interior with a maid milking cows

signed with monogram lower left on axe blade: GTB
oil on canvas
canvas: 22½ by 23½ in.; 57.2 by 59.7 cm.
framed: 29¾ by 30⅞ in.; 75.6 by 78.4 cm.

Condition Report:
The canvas is lined and is taut and stable on its stretcher. The paint surface is stable, and the overall image reads clearly beneath a crisp varnish. There is a very faint pattern of craquelure throughout, as typical with age, although is not distracting. Inspection under UV reveals a milky varnish, beneath which there may be an older campaign of restoration. UV further reveals some scattered strokes of retouching in the background primarily to address craquelure and some thinness in the brown tones, for example in the shadows between the cows. There are a few spots of well-retouched repairs here and there in the background for example near the upper and lower edges and some thin old retouches in the upper register. There is an old retouched and restored thin tear in the lower right corner that runs through the front legs of the cow, and around which there are a few isolated and scattered spots of restoration, including one in the seated figure. There is a thin line of restoration to the right of that cow near the edge. There are some additional scattered small cosmetic spots of retouching in the cows and the still life elements. These retouches are largely well applied, and the painting can certainly hang as is. Offered in a dark wood frame with a gilt liner.