Circle of Bernard van Orley

With Spanish Art Gallery, London;
With Mortimer Brandt, New York;
From whom purchased by Ruth K. Palitz, 28 December 1935;
Thence by descent in the family.

Minneapolis, Walker Art Center, 1942, cat. no. 8.q

M.J. Friedländer, Early Netherlandish Painting, Jan Gossaert and Bernart van Orley, vol. VIII, New York 1972, p. 108. cat. no. 126d, reproduced plate 111 (as a copy after B. van Orley);
L.I. Hendrikman, "Madonna col bambino all fontana," in C. Pirovano (ed.), Musei e Gallerie di Milano-Pinacoteca Ambrosiana (Tomo Primo), Milan 2005, pp. 237, 239.

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. One can see that this painting is in remarkably good condition. The panel has been cradled in the 20th century, but the work is quite dirty now and it will certainly respond to a careful cleaning. There is one recent small loss in the landscape on the left side. There is a vertical loss in the water on the far left, beneath the ship. There seems to be some restoration to the cuff of the Madonna's sleeve, beneath the hands of Christ. There are a few spots of retouching in the sky. Other than the few retouches mentioned here, there are no other visible restorations. The work will clean well and require very little retouching.
"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."

The composition is based on a work, in reverse, by Bernard van Orley in the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, Milan of circa 1516.

An old photo-certificate, inscribed and dated by Max J. Friedländer (23 September 1929) and by W.R. Valentiner (24 November 1935), ascribes this painting to The Master of 1518.