About this lot

Description

Master of San Miniato (active Florence, circa 1460-1480) The Madonna and Child, seated beneath a curtain before an extensive landscape tempera and gold on panel, in an apparently contemporary or near contemporary tabernacle style frame, later repainted and regilded 56 x 37cm (22 x 14in) Provenance: Probably acquired by either a member of the Fownes or Haythorne families in the 19th Century, Thence by family descent to Mrs Winifred S Parsons (nee Haythorne) died in 1977; Anonymous (her Deceased) Sale, Christie's, London, 12th October 1979, lot 50, when withdrawn prior to sale; Thence to her son, Sir Richard Edmund Clement Fownes Parsons (1928-2016), the late owner Other Notes: The Master of San Miniato is named after a group of altarpieces by an as yet unidentified painter in the Church of San Miniato al Monte, Florence. The attribution is due to the late Everett Fahy from photographic images which he was first shown post the 1979 Christie's sale by the late owner and again in 2016. Sir Richard Edmund Clement Fownes Parsons (1928-2016) This sale includes selected items from the collection of the late Sir Richard Parsons, removed from his Norfolk home. Sir Richard Parsons was a career diplomat, and through the 1970s and 1980s he was successively British Ambassador to Hungary, Spain and Sweden. During the late 1960s and early 1970s he had postings to Ankara and Lagos, as well as periods in London. In 1976 he was appointed ambassador to Hungary. He was the Ambassador to Sweden from 1984 to 1987, after which he left the Diplomatic Service and settled in King's Lynn, Norfolk. In his retirement he focused on his writing and at the town's literary festival gave talks about his diplomatic adventures. Notable pieces from this collection are the present lot and the rare miniature by Isaac Oliver of Sir Richard Parsons' ancestor, Thomas Fones, who was Mayor of Plymouth (lot 161). Also of note are the vibrant watercolours by his grandfather, Alfred Parsons, RA (lots 85-88) which demonstrate the family's artistic leanings in addition to their passion for collecting. Lots 59, 62, 63, 65, 83, 99, 130, 134, 161-165 are also from this estate. In our March 2019 Fine Art sale we will offer a Grand Tour portrait of his ancestor Edward Curtis of Mardyke House, Hotwells, Bristol, by Marco Benefial (Italian, 1684 - 1764) together with the embroidered silk waistcoat the sitter is wearing (please refer to the advertisement at the beginning of this catalogue). Tempera on panel which has been reinforced at the reverse with a wooden cradle. The paint layer has some areas of raised and vulnerable paint, mainly following the vertical woodgrain of the panel. There is a loss at the top edge. There are areas of retouching mainly localised in the Madonna's blue robe. The varnish is very yellowed and thick. There is some wear and retouching to teh sight edge of the frame, otherwise it is in a good condition.The loss top left is an old repair which has flaked and can be repaired. The varnish has yellowed. The painting needs consolidation as there are numerous areas of raised blistering. 

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