Manner of Bonifacio Bembo

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. The painted surfaces of these four panels are not old, and may have been applied very recently. The panels on which they are painted seem to be considerably older. The surface is very uneven, and "rustic" feeling. There is no instability and certainly no reason to adjust the paintings in any way.
"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."

Bust portraits, such as these charming panels, were popular as room decorations in 15th-century Lombardy and can be found in palazzi across the region from Pavia to Cremona.  Some of the best known examples are the portraits in Palazzo Visconti-Sforza, Milan, some of which were executed by Bonifacio Bembo.  Mounted high on the wall, they often formed a frieze, and were inserted between the beams directly beneath the ceiling.