Attributed to Marcellus Coffermans

J.W. Hamilton-Jones (according to an old label on the reverse);
Anonymous sale, ('The Property of a Family'), London, Sotheby's, 7 July 1982, lot 291 (as Follower of Quentin Massys), when acquired by the present owner. 

The support consists of six vertical panels, which are cradled on the reverse, and bevelled along both horizontal edges. The panels are basically flat. There are the expected losses and restored losses along each panel join. There are some thumbprint sized restored losses in the sky upper left and right and some very minor small retocuhings scattered throughout; for example, there are some very small retouchings around the Virgin's right eye. The reds, pinks and greens have survived well, while the blue, as is to be expected, is now somewhat translucent. There is some thinness in the hair. The painting is in fairly good overall condition. Sold with a later painted cassetta frame, in good condition.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Marcellus Coffermans was active in Antwerp in the mid sixteenth century, and was received as a Master of the Guild of Saint Luke there in 1549.  His oeuvre largely consists of copies or adaptations of works by 15^th century Flemish masters and compositions derived from German printmakers.¹  His paintings were popular in Spain where many of his extant works survive and it is likely that he had a large workshop to help meet the demand for export of devotional panels. 

The present picture is a fine example of this;  other versions of the composition include two panels in private collections in Madrid and a third in the Descalzas Reales monastery, also Madrid.  There is a fourth version in the Martinez Colon collection in Cadiz and a fifth previously in the San Diego Museum of Art, sold New York, Sotheby's, 15 January 1987, lot 1.  Other inferior versions exist in the Comercio, Barcelona, Medina Capo Hospital, Valladolid and the Church in Elgueta, Guipuzcoa, although for art historical purposes these have traditionally been grouped under the umbrella name of Coffermans.²  The quality of many of these works is varied and a number of different hands are evident, suggesting the involvement of a large workshop. 

The present painting appears to be an unusually large variant of the composition, suggesting it may not have been painted for export; Cofferman's workshop is known for its use of blue pigments which degraded badly.  The pigment used on this painting is smalt, an unstable pigment which often deteriorated to a greyish colour; in this picture the smalt has retained much of its blue tone.  Smalt was mixed with yellow for the green of the trees.  The painting is certainly amongst the best of the known versions and its obvious quality, visible in the delicately modelled figures, would indicate that it is by the hand of the master rather than a workshop piece.

1. M.J. Friedländer, Early Netherlandish Painting, vol. XII, Leyden 1975, p. 21.
2. M. Diaz Padrón, 'Identificación de algunas pinturas de Marcelus Coffermans', in Koninklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten van België. Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique Bulletin, 30-33, 1-3, 1981-1984 (1986), p. 58-60, figs. 32-4) and see RKD entries 52881-52890.