Pieter van Mol

Mr Couturier (according to an old inscription on the reverse);
Anonymous sale, Christie's Amsterdam, November 16, 2006, lot 21;
Anonymous sale, Sotheby's London, July 7, 2011, lot 219;
Acquired from the above sale by the present owner.

The panel consists of 4 pieces joined together vertically, is not cradled and is bowing slightly. The surface is in generally good condition aside from some lifting and associated cracking of the paint in the brown clothing and black headscarf of the female figure on the left. There is some fine paint separation and light surface dirt throughout. Inspection under UV reveals inpainting along the seams where the 4 panels were joined, and small scattered retouches throughout, particularly in the upper left corner in the sky and in the body of Christ.
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.

There is a second, signed version of this composition, with less background upper left, in the Musée Saint-Denis, Reims (see Le Siècle de Rubens dans les collections publiques françaises, exhibition catalogue, Paris 1977, pp. 127-8).