NERI DI BICCI | MADONNA AND CHILD SURROUNDED BY ANGELS

NERI DI BICCI
Florence 1419 - 1491
MADONNA AND CHILD SURROUNDED BY ANGELS

oil and tempera on panel, gold ground
painting: 23½ by 17 in.; 59.7 by 43.2 cm.
with pinnacle frame: 40½ by 24½ in.; 102.9 by 62.2 cm.

Condition Report:
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.

This painting is in sound condition overall, with an even surface that presents nicely. Much of the retouching visible under ultra-violet illumination is found in the blue passages. It is not unusual to see losses or pitting develop in thickly- applied blues with a large particle size, as can be seen in the paint for Mary's mantle, but the grayness of the sky is less typical and may indicate an age- related change developed in this passage over time. Areas of retouching are found throughout the sky. Around the perimeter of the composition and in Mary's red dress, scattered moderately-sized losses have been retouched, while in the flesh passages retouching visible under UV primarily addresses visually intrusive cracks and tiny defects. There also appears to exist restoration that is less obvious even under UV, augmenting the modeling and pink tones in the flesh passages. All the restoration is unnoticeable under normal light. The gilded passages are quite bright, suggesting they have been reinforced with new gold leaf. The vertically grained wood panel, which has been thinned and cradled, is planar and appears sound. On the front, an old raised crack in the bottom left corner is stable. This painting may be displayed in its current state.

"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."

Provenance:
Ercole Canessa (1868-1929) New York/Paris;

His sale, New York, American Art Association, 25 - 26 February 1924, lot 164;

Where purchased by James W. Oliver;

With Galerie Durand Ruel, Paris, 1952;

Evan M. Evans, New York;

Victor D. Spark, New York, 1961 and 1967;

Anonymous sale, New York, Sotheby's, 14 January 1988, lot 58;

Private collection, Italy.