Simone Pignoni

Baldasseroni collection, Florence;
Florence, Casa d'Aste Pitti, November 14-16, 1984, lot 400 (as Tuscan School, 17th Century);
With Giovanni Pratesi, Florence.

F. Baldassari, Simone Pignoni, Turin 2008, p. 83, cat. no. 2, reproduced;
F. Baldassari, La Pittura del Seicento a Firenze: Indice Degli Artisti e Delle Loro Opere, Turin 2009, pp. 599, 601, cat. no. 352;
S. Bellesi, Catalogo dei Pittori Fiorentini del '600 e '700: Biografie e Opere, Florence 2009, vol. I, p. 224 (as erroneously attributed to Pignoni).

The canvas is relined. Overall the painting is in good condition. There are some scattered retouches throughout this large composition, and they are not applied broadly, but rather in very specific areas. The skin tones are in a nice state of preservation, with only a couple small retouches in the right hand of the figure, which also appears slightly dirty, perhaps as a result of the varnish which appears to have been applied to most of the canvas. A crease in the canvas approximately six inches from the left edge runs vertically down the entire length of the composition. There are some retouches which have been applied along the crease, though these are not overwhelming and are really only applied along the crease itself. Again, the painting is in overall good condition. In a carved and giltwood frame with some abrasion to the gilding and a few small losses to the frame.
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.

The present work was first published as an autograph work by Pignoni in Francesca Baldassari's 2008 monograph on the artist. Baldassari dates the composition to the earliest moments of Pignoni's career, as evidenced by the roundness of the sitter's face, a marked feature from Pignoni's early work. Furthermore, the picture displays the influence which Carlo Dolci and Cesare Dandini had upon Pignoni, especially in the beginning stages of his career. The right hand of the figure here corresponds almost exactly with the same hand in another early work by Pignoni, the Vergine addolorata (Private Collection, see Literature, Baldassari 2008, cat. no. 1).