Franz Niklaus König

M. B. de la Tour and P. de Pury, Portraits Neuchatelois, Bale 1920, p. 38, reproduced.

The painting presents a fresh image and the paint surface is in clean and good condition beneath a clear varnish. The panel is composed a single board, beveled on all edges and painted on the reverse. Inspection under UV is impeded due to the milky appearance of the varnish but there appears to be strengthening to the outline of the female sitter's shoulders and the figures may perhaps have been selectively cleaned. There is otherwise only minor cosmetic retouches here and there. The painting is ready to hang in a simple carved gilt wood frame.
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.
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Jean Frederic d'Ostervald (1773-1850) was a successful cartographer from Neuchâtel, Switzerland, a small village near Bern, who married Rose-Marie Alexandrine d'Ivernois in 1795.  He is known for his accurate hand-colored maps, especially those of Neuchâtel and its environs.