About this lot

Description

The Holy Family; the Virgin and Child being brought a basket of fruit by the Infant St John the Baptist, St Elizabeth kneeling to the right, a mountainous landscape beyond, St Joseph seated in the left distance in a wood oil on canvas 134 x 131cm

Footnote: Provenance: Austrian private collection until sold, London, Christie's, 13th July 2001, lot 236; when acquired by the present owner The figure of the infant Baptist here, derives from a painting by Titian - dated by Wethey (Titian, Catalogue Raisonne , 1969, vol. I, pl. 42) to circa 1535 - now in the Dijon Museum, in which instead of holding a basket of fruit, he is caressing a lamb; the figure of St Elizabeth in the present painting is indebted to Titian's Mater Dolorosa of 1554, now in the Prado, Madrid (Wethey, pl. 97).

Condition report: Oil on canvas which has been lined. There is a horizontal seam along the lower edge with fill and retouching. The paint layer has a network of prominent age cracks, there is an area of slightly raised paint at the upper right corner. Some cracks have developed a slight bloom. The paint layer is a very worn in areas. Small damages have been filled and retouched. The most recent areas of retouching are slightly matte compared to the surrounding paint layers. The varnish is semi-matte and even, there are a few light scuffs across the surface. The gilding on the frame is slightly raised and flaking, old losses have been toned.

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