Circle of Joos van Cleve

With Newhouse Galleries, New York;
Where purchased by the present collector in 1961 (as by the Master of the Parrot).

Picture is comprised of pieces of wood brought together by a single vertical join. The panel is flat, stable, and cradled. Scattered retouches are visible under UV within the faces of the Madonna and Child. These are mainly for reinforcement and do not fill major losses. The red drapery is well maintained, as are the still life elements and background. In a carved gilt wood frame with small losses to gilding.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Certain compositional elements of this painting, such as the sleeping infant Christ child curled up against the Virgin's breast, the still life of fruit on a ledge in the foreground, and the facial type of the Virgin, derive from works by the Antwerp master, Joos van Cleve (circa 1485-1540/1).¹  The figure of the sleeping Christ child may be interpreted as a premonition of his death and a reference to the Pietà, while the grapes seen in the foreground allude to the Eucharist.

1.  See for example the Virgin and Child in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  the Jack and Belle Linsky Collection (Acc. no. 1982.60.47).