THE MASTER OF SAINT VERONICA | A portable triptych Centre panel: Virgin and Child enthroned before a golden mandorla, with God the Father and angels in adoration above, Saints John the Evangelist, Barbara, Christina, Catherine, Mary Magdalen and John the Baptist seated in a semi-circle below Inner wings: The Crowning with Thorns, The Crucifixion, The Resurrection and The Ascension Outer wings: The Way to Calvary

The following condition report is provided by Sarah Walden who is an external specialist and not an employee of Sotheby's: The Master of Saint Veronica. This painting is on an oak panel in three pieces, with two side panels attached by long, apparently original, metal hinges. The central panel has had one vertical crack, probably quite early, but all parts of the triptych have remained remarkably strong and flat overall, with no other trace of instability. The single crack runs three quarters of the way up the centre from the base, through the arm of the Child and the head of the Madonna. This has been secured behind with small wooden plaques, perhaps in Switzerland in the first half of the last century, which uncovered the original, unprimed, textured surface of the oak, with the remains of old priming followed by later similar layers of warm earth priming. The whole triptych has clearly long stabilized itself, with no further trace of movement of any sort. The Virgin and Child enthroned before a golden Mandorla with God the Father and Angels in adoration above, Saints John the Evangelist, Barbara, Christina, Catherine, Mary Magdalen and John the Baptist seated in a semi circle below. There is a fine craquelure throughout. The gold leaf has been worn in some areas, but the delicate punching and intricate decoration of the central halo and jeweled crown of the Madonna are exquisitely preserved overall. The gold leaf above surrounding the image of God the Father has had more wear, as has His face, however the many heads of angels on either side of the Madonna and Child have remained finely intact overall despite minute imperfections. The Madonna and Child have quite a narrow line of retouching running through the cheek of the Madonna and the arm of the Child, with incidental thinness in places nearby in the two central figures. The delicate ultra marine drapery of the Madonna has been largely finely preserved, as have the exceptionally beautiful embroidered drapery of the group of saints below, which remain magnificently intact virtually throughout, including minute detail such as the lamb in St John's arms, or the jeweled and lettered crowns of some of the saints, and the vivid lead tin yellow drapery glazed in deep pink. On the two wings it is clear that the Resurrection and the Ascension on the right has for some reason been more vulnerable and has been more worn than the Crucifixion and the Crowning with thorns on the left wing, which is in extremely good condition in almost every detail. Some of the care and attention devoted undoubtedly to the triptych over centuries is faintly visible under ultra violet light. The central crack clearly has fairly recent retouching, while ancient wear and traces of far older varnishes, dirt or retouching are not caught by UV, although the eye can see rather more. The dramatic outer image on the closed triptych of Christ Carrying the Cross, may be expected naturally to have had rather more accidental wear and there is indeed more retouching visible under ultra violet light. This in mainly in the background, and often around the edges. However the evident loss of original paint in the upper part of the cross and in the hair is invisible under UV, and clearly under very old varnish. Some minor other old retouching in the upper background for instance is also scarcely visible. However the vivid brushwork of the head of Christ is very finely intact. This report was not done under laboratory conditions.
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