Italo-Flemish School, 17th Century

The old glue relining is firm and stable. under a dirty and discolored old varnish. the paint surface has been slightly pressed in the relining, but the detail overall remains very good. there are some old discolored retouches visible in the brown background at left and right sides (as visible in catalogue an online images). there is some sinking of the darks, most noticeably in his costume. in the background at lower right, underneath the portrait of the woman, there is an old repair over what appears to have been a possible puncture. under UV light, it is impossible to see anything due to the old varnish. this painting has not been restored in a long time and will require some work to address the old, discolored retouches. but careful restoration should improve the appearance and it will be a very striking and attractive image. Offered in an Italian cassetta style frame with painted center and corner arabesques that mimics the frame surrounding the portrait of a woman depicted in the painting.
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 intriguing second portrait, upper right, is reminiscent of those by Flemish artists such as Frans Pourbus, yet the painterly execution of the overall portrait is more North Italian in manner.  The frame, decorated with a so-called cassetta pattern, is a style first conceived in Tuscany in the late fifteenth century but soon became popular throughout northern Europe.  The convention of including a portrait within a portrait was common in betrothal paintings or was employed to allude to a member of the family, in this case perhaps the sitter's wife, who had since passed away.