Anonymous, Mexican School (Early 18th Century)

Eleanor Ford, San Francisco
Thence by descent to the present owner

Each one of these paintings has been fairly recently structurally supported with new tacking edges, clean reverses, and in some cases a few small patches. The composition with the large male figure in the center wearing the hat shows the most reinforcements on the reverse, attending to a group of structural damages to the immediate right of this figure's head. In all of the pictures there are paint losses, mostly old losses, and some damages and restorations. The restorations are very poorly matched and are of no use to the pictures. Our advice would be to leave the paintings stretched and supported as is, but because they do not appear to have ever been cleaned, they are actually in very fresh condition. However, in the composition of the woman playing cards there is a tear in the lower right which needs to be attended to. In the composition with the man with the back hat in the center not only are there damages to the right of his head, but some vertical restorations on the left side and elsewhere. In the composition with the two riders fighting on the left side there is a very obvious restoration to the left of the horses and some others in the sky. There is a need to rethink the restoration but not necessarily to clean the paintings or endanger the delicate and well preserved gilding and details throughout the pigment. Pictures of this period are expected to have losses and damages, but the fact that the paint layers are not abraded is certainly a credit. This condition report has been provided courtesy of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.
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.