Dans le goût de Gerrit Van Honthorst

To the naked eye: The painting is in moderately satisfactory condition. It is painted on a cradled panel. We notice a vertical crack all along the painting crossing the face of the violinist that has been restored (face, body, drapery). The painting appears under a dirty old varnish that has become white in several places. We notice a small repaint along the pipe (3 cm. long). We notice some small losses of pictorial matter on the feather of his hat. We notice a small loss in the middle of the left border. We notice some restorations on the violin. Under U.V. light: We notice a uniform thick green varnish. We notice a restoration all along the crack. We notice some small restorations on the hand of the violinist, on the violin, on the tablecloth close to the lower border, on the feather and on the upper border.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."