Workshop of The Master of the Magdalene Legend

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This painting on oak has an oak frame from the period which is part of the work, but it is probably made from a different piece of wood. The frame has been attractively restored, as has the picture. Further restoration is probably unnecessary. Under ultraviolet light, there is a restoration in the mouth and around the nose of the Child, and a few other tiny isolated spots of retouching around the mouth and nose of the Madonna. The condition seems to be very good in the gilded background; there are possibly some small repairs in the upper right and upper center. The restorations to the figures are very good, and the condition throughout appears to be excellent.
"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."

Several versions of this composition by Master of the Legend of the Magdalene are known.  This painting is very close to the version formerly in the Demandolx-Dedons collection, Marseille in circa 1935, though that picture is not rounded at the top (information provided by Edwin Buijsen of the Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie, The Hague).